Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) lauded the success of his administration’s efforts at import substitution during his opening address at this year’s Made in Ethiopia Expo, telling attendees that locally manufactured goods save USD 14.5 billion in import bills over the past four years.
The fourth Made in Ethiopia Expo opened on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at the Addis International Convention Center, where the PM outlined his government’s efforts to reduce reliance on foreign goods through an aggressive push for domestic production. He claimed the efforts have saved over USD 3.5 billion a year over the past four years.
Official data indicates Ethiopia’s total annual import bill has hovered near USD 17 billion for the past several years, with fuel, fertilizer, machinery, electronics, and vehicles often listed as the largest spending categories. On the other hand, last year’s reported export revenue of USD 8.3 billion is Ethiopia’s highest ever, meaning the annual trade deficit is typically well over USD 10 billion.
Manufacturing’s share of exports remains minimal. In November 2025, Minister of Industry Melaku Alebel told lawmakers that the sector managed just USD 97 million in exports over the first quarter of the fiscal year despite accessing substantially more forex from banks for the import of machinery, inputs, and spare parts.
During his speech, the PM also said that close to 1,000 factories that had previously been shuttered have resumed operations during the period.
