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The tax authority of Ethiopia is to probe petroleum distributing companies on potential windfall gains following the regular price adjustments to the price of fuel by the government.

The Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority will launch the investigation in the coming weeks and will levy windfall tax should it discover that the companies are earning undeclared gains from the price adjustments according to sources.  

The tax authority was notified of the windfall gains in the sector by anonymous informants who presented a study conducted on seven petroleum companies it was learned.

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia announced the launch of internet banking services for the 74 branches connected through integrated banking solutions (Core Banking).

The bank will offer the service to individual customers as well as to companies.

The new system operates on any device that is able to support an internet browser and makes use of anti hacking and anti E-theft systems building up on the experience of Asian and European banks said Solomon Mengesha, Assistant Vice President of Information Systems with CBE.

Tsehay Insurance SC formally entered the insurance sector in Ethiopia at a ceremony held last Saturday.

The Insurance Company launched operations with its first branch opened in mid-May and currently has three branches located in the Abune Petros, Haya Hulet and Merkato areas of Addis Ababa.

The company is planning two more branches before the end of the current financial year in July in the Addis Ketema and Meshualkia areas.

The National Bank of Ethiopia is to issue a new directive for mobile banking directives. The central bank regulation officials and presidents of banks had final discussions on the draft regulation last week.

The bank circulated the draft regulation to all banks for comments and expects it to come into effect in three weeks time according to sources.

The regulation will control the way in which mobile banking is implemented, identifying and protecting users and how much money can be transacted.

Dalol Oil Share Company, Ethiopia has formally announced the official launch of its sixth fuel station in Suluta.

The new station is located on 3500m2 in a joint investment with a local investor at a cost of 4 million birr.  

The opening of the 6th fuel service station as well as a depot marks the official launch of the company said Esayas Eyesuswork, Chief Executive of Dalol Oil. The new service station expects to provide all kinds of fuel, lubricants, shops washing facilities and cafes.

Ethiopian Entrepreneur Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu is to be featured by Sony Pictures Entertainment in its upcoming series ‘Trading Secrets: Inside the Minds Shaping Global Business’.

The participants selected to be part of the series represent the most inspirational business leaders from around the world and Bethlehem was selected for her business acumen, ingenuity, innovation and commitment to establishing an international brand that aims to benefit both consumers and workers equally said Mat Steiner, Managing Director for the GOGGLE box division of Sony producing the series. 

Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier, has awarded a seven year contract for Integrated Component Solutions services to the Boeing 737NG fleet to Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, the largest independent maintenance, repair and overhaul service provider in the Middle East and a part of the Mubadala Aerospace MRO network.

The contract covers a total of 19 aircraft, eleven of which are the fleet of B737NG aircraft and eight new aircraft on order.

ADAT will provide repair cycle management and pool access coverage supported by the combined Integrated Component Solutions experience and capabilities of ADAT and SR Technics.

The IT Park project in Ethiopia is expected to create 300 thousand jobs when it is completed said the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

The project aims to enhance the quick growth of micro enterprises as well as benefiting companies in its vicinity to support the development of research institutes and creating trade relations and transfer of technology explained Beker Seid, Public Relations Officer with the Ministry.

It is also expected that the project will create favorable conditions to allow domestic companies to become competitive on the international markets he said.

The 5th Agriculture Fair was opened in Ethiopia under the theme of Agriculture Development for Food Self-Reliance. The 1st Tourism Travel Fair was also launched simultaneously under its theme of ‘Tourism for Economic Development'.

The agricultural sector is very important to the overall economic development of the country and it is hoped that the exhibition will contribute to the national effort to increase income and achieve national food security according to Tefera Derbew, Minister of Agriculture speaking at the opening.

The exhibition is also expected to promote trade and investment in addition to facilitating experience sharing amongst participants he said. The fair is intended to create a platform for networking between manufacturers, suppliers and distributors and other stakeholders explained Teffera.

Ethiopia is in the process of finalizing preparations to offer 24 hour power supply for manufacturing industries in Addis Ababa said Miheret Debebe, Chief Executive of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.

The country currently has the installed potential to produce almost 3000 MW of electricity of which more than 40% is allocated to the industrial sector and 30% goes to the service sector it was said at a consultative deliberation held between representatives of major industries and experts from the Ministry of Water and Energy and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.