Ethiopia's largest private commercial bank by assets, deposits and profitability - Awash Bank S.C. - has officially listed its shares on the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX).
- •Awash Bank is the third company to join the bourse's Main Market and the first major private commercial bank to debut since the exchange launched in January 2025.
- •The listing was commemorated with a Bell Ringing Ceremony at the ESX trading floor in Addis Ababa, marking what exchange officials described as a pivotal moment for Ethiopia's nascent capital market.
- •Awash Bank lists under the ticker AWAB, with 37,896,928 shares available for trading out of 54,066,089 registered with the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) in March 2026.
The listing is by introduction, meaning no new shares are being issued and no public offer accompanies the debut. Existing shareholders may now trade freely through licensed brokers.
The bank's listing follows the earlier introduction of Wegagen Bank and Gadaa Bank, which listed in 2025, but carries considerably greater weight given Awash's scale. As Ethiopia's largest private commercial bank by assets, deposits and profitability, its presence on the ESX anchors the equity market with institutional heft that neither of its predecessors could provide.
ESX CEO Tilahun Esmael Kassahun said the listing "is a big milestone for the Ethiopian Securities Exchange and for Ethiopia's capital market ecosystem," adding that welcoming Awash Bank to the main market underscores the growing confidence in the exchange and its potential to drive economic growth.
Awash Bank CEO Tsehay Shiferaw said listing on the ESX "is a proud moment for our more than 20,000 employees and more than 12,000 shareholders," adding that the bank has always been a pioneer and that the listing ensures it remains at the forefront of innovation and value creation for generations to come.
Awash reported gross profit of ETB 25.67 billion for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2025, a 137% jump year on year and the highest ever recorded by a private bank in Ethiopia. Net profit stood at ETB 18.71 billion. Total assets reached ETB 442.6 billion, deposits surpassed ETB 358 billion, and the loan portfolio grew 20% to ETB 219.6 billion. Earnings per share rose to ETB 783 per ETB 1,000 par value, from ETB 487 a year earlier. The bank also mobilised more than US$2 billion in foreign exchange during the year, a 25% increase, and maintains a non-performing loan ratio of 1.8%, well within the National Bank of Ethiopia's 5% ceiling.
The bank operates 989 branches, serves more than 15 million customers, employs over 20,000 staff and counts more than 12,000 shareholders. It was established in 1994 by 486 founding shareholders with paid-up capital of ETB 24.2 million.
Awash Bank's listing arrives as the ESX prepares for a broader wave of listings before the end of the Ethiopian fiscal year on 7 July 2026. Dashen Bank and Bank of Abyssinia have both completed ECMA registration and are closest to listing, with Abay Bank, Anbesa Bank and Amhara Bank at advanced stages of regulatory preparation. The ESX has set a target of nine listings before the fiscal year closes.
