@motlethiopia – Ethiopian Business Review

Dodai Manufacturing PLC has officially secured approval from the Addis Ababa Transport Bureau to operate its electric motorbike venture. The agreement marks a turning point for the startup, which began operations in 2023 and has since emerged as a pioneering force in Ethiopia’s nascent e-mobility sector.

The partnership, announced yesterday, is the result of extensive engagement between Dodai and city authorities. It allows the company to begin wide-scale deployment of its electric motorbikes, alongside the expansion of its innovative battery swapping network across the capital.

Yabibal Addis, Head of the Addis Ababa Transport Bureau, confirmed the agreement and praised the company’s alignment with city standards. “Today, we validated that Dodai’s motorbikes meet our reliability and quality requirements,” he said. “Motor bikes are not open to general use due to policy constraints, but with this partnership, Dodai will be able to operate under structured parameters, supporting both the company’s growth and the country’s green transport goals.”

Currently, motorcycle access in Addis Ababa remains limited to specific users, including delivery companies, government offices, and registered private firms. However, Dodai’s commitment to safety, environmental responsibility, and technological reliability helped the company meet the city’s strict regulatory framework.

Dodai CEO Yuma Sasaki emphasized the startup’s mission to build trust through performance. “Our bikes are equipped with GPS tracking, environmentally friendly, and designed to meet urban needs,” he told Ethiopian Business Review. “Earning trust from regulators is our top priority, once achieved, we expect to obtain full authorization for number plates and full-scale rollout.”

As part of the agreement, Dodai will begin official operations in Addis Ababa within the next six months. The company also plans to expand its battery swapping stations from the current count to 30–50 locations across the city, creating a seamless and convenient charging experience for riders.

In a gesture of support for public institutions and to reinforce its commitment to Addis Ababa’s green transition, Dodai is donating 40 electric motorbikes—without batteries—for pilot use. The donation aligns with the company’s broader effort to integrate its technology into public systems through an exclusive pilot program for its smart battery swapping service.

Dodai’s battery swap model allows riders to replace depleted batteries in seconds by visiting a swap station, paying a small fee via mobile, and receiving a fully charged unit—eliminating the delays and challenges associated with traditional charging infrastructure.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistics, in partnership with Ethio telecom, has officially launched three national digital systems: the Cross-Country Public Transport Service System, the Integrated Fuel Supply System Solution, and the National Traffic Point-Based Penalty Management System.

These comprehensive platforms are designed to significantly enhance Ethiopia’s transport infrastructure, modernise public service delivery, and foster transparency across the fuel and traffic management chains.

The Cross-Country Public Transport Service System introduces a unified digital framework for managing bus ticketing, licensing, compliance, and payments. Travellers can now book and pay for tickets using their mobile phones, in multiple local languages including English, via platforms such as telebirr and other financial institutions. This solution is set to reduce delays, prevent fraud, improve data transparency, and enhance the overall efficiency of public transport nationwide.

The Integrated Fuel Supply System Solution enables fuel stations across the country to accept payments from all banks and wallets, offering real-time data integration for government oversight. By connecting all financial institutions with a central fuel management system, it improves market control, curbs illicit fuel trade, and ensures accountability from distribution to retail. Drivers can now refuel anywhere in Ethiopia using their preferred digital payment method.

The National Traffic Point-Based Penalty Management System digitises the enforcement of traffic laws, replacing outdated manual systems. It facilitates centralised recording of driver data, tracks infractions through a point-based mechanism, and streamlines penalty payments. This modern system is expected to promote safer roads, improve legal compliance, and support policymaking with reliable data. It also reduces the administrative burden on regional transport offices and supports integration via Ethio telecom’s TeleCloud without additional infrastructure investment.

Ethio telecom emphasised that the systems were developed by local private software developers and feature full API integration for interoperability with financial institutions.

In a move signaling broader participation in Ethiopia’s liberalizing digital fuel payment ecosystem, Dashen Bank has launched a seamless fuel payment feature through its Super App, becoming the latest entrant to challenge the long-standing dominance of state-backed platforms.

For nearly two years, Telebirr, along with digital wallets from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and the Cooperative Bank of Oromia (COOP), served as the primary—and for a time, exclusive—channels for fuel payments in the country. However, Ethiopia’s fuel payment landscape is shifting under the weight of digital reform and policy liberalization.

The April 2023 national fuel reform, initiated by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, marked a turning point. Aimed at digitalizing the sector using cutting-edge technologies, the reform has driven major cost savings and transaction efficiency. According to State Minister Bareo Hassan, the digital framework has already enabled over ETB 430 billion in digital transactions and saved the country more than ETB 190 billion in costs.

“But this wasn’t a complete success,” Bareo acknowledged, noting that participation has remained limited to only a few players.

To address this bottleneck, Ministry of Transport and Logistics has been working on a grand digital fuel payment integration platform, in collaboration with Ethio Telecom and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. The initiative invites broader banking sector participation—a call Dashen Bank has now answered.

The state minister welcomed Dashen Bank’s quick uptake of the initiative, hailing it as a sign of the private sector’s growing alignment with Ethiopia’s digital transformation agenda.

At a press briefing, Ayele Teshome, Dashen Bank CEO Representative, announced that customers can now pay for fuel at selected stations in just three clicks using the Dashen Super App. The bank plans to roll out the service nationwide in the coming weeks.

“Our fast and secure fuel payment feature allows customers to log in, select the fuel payment mini app, and scan a QR code to complete the transaction instantly,” said Ayele.

This service not only simplifies the consumer experience but also enhances operational efficiency for gas stations and offers new oversight capabilities for government regulators. Dashen’s mini app—nested within its flagship Super App—enables users to fill out a simple form and pay without friction, helping to modernize one of the country’s most essential consumer transactions.

Dodai Secures Green Light from Addis Ababa Transport Bureau to Scale Electric Mobility

Ethiopia Unveils Nationwide Digital Systems to Transform Transport, Fuel and Traffic Management

Dashen Bank Joins Ethiopia’s Expanding Digital Fuel Payment Frontier as Sector Opens Up