<\/p>\n
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia\/Manama, Bahrain, March 27, 2026<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 iibGroup has officially opened a Representative Office in Addis Ababa, marking a significant milestone in the Group\u2019s long-term regional strategy in East Africa. The new office will enable iibGroup to deepen its engagement with Ethiopia\u2019s financial ecosystem, support cross-border investment, and position the Group to play a constructive role as the country advances reforms aimed at modernizing and opening its financial landscape. While there are 15 representative offices in Ethiopia, iib is the first to obtain this significant license post-reform, which underscores our commitment to the Ethiopian market.<\/p>\n Ethiopia\u2019s Financial Liberalization Creates New Opportunities<\/strong> \u201cEthiopia represents one of the most exciting frontier opportunities in global finance today,\u201d said Sohail Sultan, Chairman of iibGroup. \u201cAs we deepen our understanding of the local market and build trusted partnerships with Ethiopian businesses and institutions, we will continue to explore opportunities to expand our presence in line with Ethiopia\u2019s evolving regulatory framework. Our office in Addis Ababa reflects our long-term commitment to Ethiopia and to the broader East African region.\u201d<\/p>\n Strengthening the Ethiopia\u2013Djibouti Trade Corridor<\/strong> Operating within the regulatory framework governing banking offices, iib East Africa in Ethiopia will focus on developing relationships with local financial institutions, engaging with key stakeholders, and conducting market research to identify emerging opportunities in Ethiopia\u2019s evolving financial sector. The office will also serve as a liaison through which Ethiopian businesses and potential partners can access iibGroup\u2019s international banking capabilities and connect with the bank\u2019s broader regional network.<\/p>\n \u201cWe aim to serve as a bridge between Ethiopian businesses and international markets,\u201d said Mrs. Aynalem Ababu, Chief Representative Officer in Addis Ababa. \u201cAt the same time, we look forward to supporting international investment into Ethiopia\u2019s major infrastructure initiatives, including the Bishoftu airport project and its planned aerotropolis development.\u201d<\/p>\n About iibGroup Holdings W.L.L. (Bahrain)<\/strong> About iib East Africa\u00a0(Djibouti)<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Addis Ababa, Ethiopia\/Manama, Bahrain, March 27, 2026\u00a0\u2013 iibGroup has officially opened a Representative Office in Addis Ababa, marking a significant milestone in the Group\u2019s long-term regional strategy in East Africa. The new office will enable iibGroup to deepen its engagement with Ethiopia\u2019s financial ecosystem, support cross-border investment, and position the Group to play a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2021],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-50111","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sponsored-content"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50111\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAs regulatory reforms continue to unfold, the market is expected to unlock new opportunities in foreign investment, trade facilitation, and financial services innovation. Building on its regional platform through iib East Africa in Djibouti, iib\u2019s presence in Addis Ababa positions the Group among the first international financial institutions establishing a footprint in Ethiopia. Through its regional expertise and transactional banking capabilities, the bank aims to support Ethiopia\u2019s expanding trade and investment landscape while building long-term partnerships with local institutions and businesses. iib is well positioned to leverage its experience and networks across the Horn of Africa to support Ethiopia\u2019s financial sector transformation.<\/p>\n
\nWith a presence in both Djibouti and Ethiopia, iib East Africa will provide commercial and transactional banking services with a focused mandate on the Ethiopia\u2013Djibouti trade corridor, one of the region\u2019s most strategically important trade routes through which most of Ethiopia\u2019s import and export trade flows.<\/p>\n
\niibGroup is a diversified international investment and banking group with operations across East Africa, the Middle East, West Africa, and the Caribbean. The Group provides banking, investment, and advisory solutions while also deploying capital into high-impact sectors such as trade, digital infrastructure, and financial inclusion. Through its regional platforms, iibGroup supports SMEs, empowers women- and youth-led enterprises, and channels capital to industries that strengthen regional integration and sustainable growth across emerging markets. For more information, visit\u00a0www.iibanks.com<\/a><\/p>\n
\niib East Africa is a licensed banking institution based in Djibouti, serving corporate and institutional clients across the Ethiopia\u2013Djibouti corridor. The bank is committed to advancing financial inclusion, innovation, and private sector development in the region. For more information, visit www.iibanks.com\/eastafrica<\/a><\/p>\n