Finance & economics | Ring hollow

Ethiopia gets a stockmarket. Now it just needs some firms to list

The country is no longer the most populous without a bourse

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speaks during the launch of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 10th 2025
Photograph: Getty Images

Jan 16th 2025|JohannesburgShare

It was a momentous occasion. But the peal of the bell did not initiate a flurry of trading at the Ethiopian Securities Exchange, which opened on January 10th. With no brokers and only one listed stock, the exchange enjoyed a relaxed start to life. The country’s officials nevertheless see the institution as a crucial part of their liberalising economic reforms. Ethiopia, home to some 130m people, had been the most populous country without an exchange.