December 20, 2025

Four Ethiopian leaders—Brook Taye, Admassu Tadesse, Ethiopis Tafara, and Sewit Ahderom—have been named to New African magazine’s prestigious 2025 list of the ‘100 Most Influential Africans’.

The first three were selected in business category, while Sewit was named in the change makers category, their inclusion highlights Ethiopia’s growing impact in continental finance, investment, technology, and global philanthropy.

Brook Taye (PhD),CEO of Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), is recognized as a “liberalisation guru” for his central role in Ethiopia’s economic reforms. The citation credits him with turning EIH into one of Africa’s most discussed institutions, unlocking billions in state assets through smart partnerships.

Admassu Tadesse, Group President of the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group, is highlighted as a “formidable strategic thinker.” He is praised for his influential voice in reshaping global development finance and advocating for Africa’s economic self-reliance, arguing that the continent must better harness its own capital.

Sewit Ahderom, the incoming President and CEO of the MasterCard Foundation, is acknowledged as a technology leader and finance executive. An Ethiopia-born techpreneur who co-founded Gro Intelligence, she will lead the foundation’s work in youth employment, education, and financial inclusion across Africa and in Canada.

Ethiopis Tafara, a senior leader at the International Finance Corporation, rounds out the honorees for his influence in global development finance, as EBR reported in a news article yesterday.

In total, the 2025 list represents 32 African nations and features 64 men and 36 women. Business leads the category breakdown with 21 entries, followed by Creatives with 19, Public Office and Thinkers and Opinion Shapers with 15 each, Sports with 13, Change Makers with nine and Technology with eight.

Nigeria remains the most represented country with 21 entries, followed by South Africa with 10, Kenya and Ghana with seven each, and Tunisia with five.

By Betegbar Yaregal December 19, 2025

EthSwitch, the national financial switch operator, has officially launched ‘EthioPay’ as a unified brand for all instant digital payment services in Ethiopia. The brand aims to consolidate the country’s digital payment ecosystem under a single, trusted national identity.

Announced at an event in Friendsip Park, EthioPay is designed not to replace existing banks or mobile money services, but to integrate them under one common platform. Solomon Desta, Vice Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the EthSwitch Board, described EthioPay as a “national asset built on collaboration,” emphasizing that its success depends on collective adoption across the financial sector.

Described as a fully integrated and sustainable payment ecosystem, EthioPay integrates various actors and payment types onto a single platform. It is designed to be the secure and instant channel for digital payments and money transfers, accelerating Ethiopia’s journey toward a robust digital economy.

Importantly,  Solomon stressed that EthioPay is nationally owned and will represent the future of digital payments in Ethiopia, including future cross-border and regional transactions. “Today’s EthioPay launch unites our digital payment systems with a common vision,” he concluded.

EthSwitch CEO Yilebes Addis explained that the EthioPay brand will represent a range of interoperable services, including instant money transfers, e-commerce, mobile banking, and card schemes. The system is intended to be secure, affordable, and accessible, aiming to accelerate Ethiopia’s shift to a digital economy.

The CEO highlighted that EthioPay moves Ethiopia from a state of fragmented digital finance to an affordable, trusted, and easy-to-remember ecosystem. The brand’s logo features a bird symbolizing speed and reach, and the color orange representing constant energy and movement in the financial system.

The launch follows the initial introduction of the instant payment system at the Ethiopian Digital Payment Conference II on December 9-10, 2025.

The SNV-led Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) project has disbursed more than 180 million birr in loans through alternative financing models, supporting over 4,000 micro and small enterprises (MSEs) across Ethiopia.

The update was shared during an access-to-finance learning symposium held on December 17, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa under the theme “Unlocking Finance for MSMEs.” The event brought together banks, microfinance institutions, fintech companies, and government agencies to discuss persistent financing gaps facing small businesses.

Organized by SNV and Mercy Corps, the forum focused on practical solutions to address collateral constraints and credit access barriers that continue to limit the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Speaking at the symposium, LIWAY Team Lead Yewubdar Hailu said the project has so far reached more than 300,000 people, with youth accounting for 75 percent of beneficiaries and women representing half of participants. The project aims to reach 400,000 people by December 2028.

“So far, we have tested five different financing models with our partners,” Yewubdar said. “Cash-flow-based lending blended with insurance has onboarded more than 4,000 micro and small enterprises into the formal financial system.”

LIWAY is funded by the governments of Sweden and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and focuses on improving livelihoods by expanding access to finance, markets, and skills development for youth and women.

Julie Graham, Country Director of SNV Ethiopia, said access to finance should go beyond credit provision alone.

“Increasing access to finance is not just about loans,” Julie said. “It requires a holistic system that includes savings, microinsurance, and responsible lending, supported by collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector.”

Discussions at the symposium also highlighted future policy priorities. SNV is working with private sector partners to develop national lending standards for cash-flow-based loans, establish interoperable data-sharing systems for MSME credit histories, and design gender-responsive financial products tailored to women entrepreneurs.

SNV, which has operated in Ethiopia for over 50 years, said it is now focused on scaling pilot initiatives into broader policy frameworks. In collaboration with the National Bank of Ethiopia and private financial institutions, the organization aims to institutionalize alternative lending practices that reduce reliance on traditional collateral requirements.