The Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) has licensed five new capital market service providers, including Ethiopia’s first investment banks, in what it described as a “significant step” for the country’s financial sector. The licensing, granted on March 21, increases the total number of licensed service providers from four to nine, according to ECMA.
The newly licensed institutions include CBE Capital S.C. and Wegagen Capital Investment Bank S.C., both designated as investment banks. Additionally, Ethio-Fidelity Securities S.C. has been licensed as a securities dealer, while HST Investment Advisory Services PLC and Equation Securities Investment Advisor PLC have been approved as securities investment advisors.