Passenger flights between Addis Ababa and northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region have been cancelled, disrupting air travel and trade flows. Ethiopian Airlines cited “unplanned circumstances” in notices to passengers, while operations at Mekelle airport were halted for the day. The suspension affects passenger movement, cargo logistics, and regional commerce, adding operational pressure to Ethiopia’s aviation sector amid ongoing foreign exchange constraints and heightened transport risk.

The National Bank of Ethiopia has directed commercial banks to apply import price references issued by the Ethiopian Customs Commission when opening letters of credit and processing import-related foreign exchange requests, effective January 27, 2026. The central bank said the move aims to reduce valuation discrepancies, align banking and customs practices, and strengthen balance-of-payments data following Ethiopia’s shift to a market-based foreign exchange system.

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia reported that transactions conducted through its digital banking platforms exceeded nine trillion birr in the first half of the 2025/26 fiscal year, accounting for nearly 88% of total transfers and payments. The bank also posted a gross profit of 36.19 billion birr, driven by digital adoption, economic reforms, and growth in its interest-free banking arm, CBE Noor, which expanded deposits and lending significantly.

The National Bank of Ethiopia completed a $500 million foreign exchange auction, the largest since Ethiopia adopted market-based FX reforms. Bids totalled $592.3 million, signalling continued demand for hard currency among banks. The auction cleared at a weighted average rate of 154.82 birr per dollar, with settlement completed the same day. Officials said the intervention supports liquidity management and price discovery as foreign exchange reforms deepen.

Ethiopia’s state-owned Ethio Telecom reported 85.02 billion birr ($548 million) in revenue for the six months to December 2025, a 37% increase from the previous year. The growth came from higher data usage, mobile money transactions, and an 8.2% rise in subscribers to 87.1 million. The company posted a net profit of 42.36 billion birr, expanded its mobile network, and highlighted ongoing challenges from foreign currency shortages and regulatory requirements.

Ethiopia will reopen talks to restructure its $1 billion international bond after official creditors said a proposed deal offered insufficient relief. Creditors represented by the Official Creditor Committee, co-chaired by China and France, objected to a draft agreement that included a contingent instrument linked to export performance. The finance ministry said negotiations with bondholders would resume under the G20 Common Framework.