Steps in investing

Below are the general steps to be followed to start a new investment in Ethiopia. Please click on the plus signs to read the details of each steps or sub-steps.
  • Appointing an agent
    • Concerned body
      • Your company by itself or through ethiopiainvest.com
    • Requirements
      • The prospective agent need to know:
        • Investment procedures in Ethiopia
        • Amharic, other local languages or English
      • The company needs to legally delegate the agent through the power of attorney. The documents required by the Public Notary in Ethiopia are:
        • Passport of the company’s manager and photocopies of the relevant pages of the passport.
        • Memorandum and articles of association.
        • Letter of power of attorney of the agent.
    • Duration and post fulfillment action
      • An agent will be legally appointed
    • Remarks
      • The power of attorney permits the agent to carry out the tasks as mentioned in the letter of power of attorney. This letter can be written by the company itself and must be signed by the manager of the company and the Public Notary. If the letter is signed at the Public Notary of the home country of the investor, it should first be legalized at the Ethiopian Embassy in the home country. In Ethiopia it should be legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then signed at a Public Notary in Ethiopia.
  • Clearance of company name
    • Concerned body
      • Ministry of Trade and Industry
    • Requirements
      • The name of the new company will be submitted to Ministry of Trade and Industry. The relevant Department of the Ministry will check the name.
    • Duration and post fulfillment action
      • Approval of company name
    • Remarks
      • This is applicable when establishing a joint venture or a Private Limited Company. To get approval, the name must be unused by other companies.
  • Investment license
    • Concerned body
      • The Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA)
    • Requirements
      • To get an investment permit, an investor is required to submit the following documents:
        • An investment application form signed by the investor/agent.
        • Where the investment is signed by an agent, a photocopy of his power of attorney.
        • Where the investment is made by individual person, a photocopy of the page of the passport showing his identity and his recent two passport size photo.
        • Where the investment is made by business organization incorporated in Ethiopia; photocopies of its memorandum of association and articles of association; or where it is to be newly established. In addition, it shall submit photocopies of the pages of a valid passport of each shareholder showing their identity.
    • Duration and post fulfillment action
      • Provision of investment permit in 4 hours
    • Remarks
      • The documents should pass through the Foreign Office where the investor comes from and should be authenticated by the relevant Ethiopian Embassy, before being submitted to the Ethiopian Investment Agency.
  • Residence permit
    • Concerned body
      • Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs
    • Requirements
      • Using the investment permit, a shareholder of a company or a branch company and an expatriate staff who has a work permit applies for residence permit.
    • Duration and post fulfillment action
      • Granting of Residence Permit in 24 hours
  • Business license
    • Concerned body
      • the Ethiopian Investment Agency
    • Requirements
      • A Business License is required before starting production. The investor is required to carry out the following.
        • Produce an Investment License.
        • Register minimum capital required to start-up investment stated below.
          • Wholly owned foreign investment – US $100,000 per project.
          • Joint venture of a foreign investor in partnership with domestic investor(s) – US $ 60,000 per project.
          • Wholly owned foreign investment in areas of engineering, architectural or other technical consultancy services, accounting and audit services, project studies or business and management consultancy services – US $50,000.
          • Joint venture in the above with domestic partners – US$25,000.
    • Duration and post fulfillment action
      • A Business License in 4 hours

Contact us

  • Visit us
    Gollagul Tower, Room #1101
    Area: 22 Mazoria
    Addis Ababa, POBox 2222
    (+251) 937646410
    (+251) 118237181
  • Write to us
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