The Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) has issued a Capital Market Service Provider (CMSP) license to Awash Capital Investment Bank S.C., authorizing it to operate under the Investment Bank category.
- •With this approval, Awash Capital Investment Bank joins the cohort of institutions expected to contribute to the formation of Ethiopia’s investment banking and market intermediation landscape- a sector still in early ages but steadily taking shape.
- •This brings the total number of licensed CMSPs in Ethiopia to thirteen, with investment banks now totaling four.
- •ECMA also approved four Appointed Representatives and confirmed five board members for the institution- steps that form part of the governance and compliance requirements for new entrants in the market.
Speaking during the issuance, ECMA Director General Hana Tehelku noted that adding more regulated investment banks is intended to support a capital market that is “competitive, fair and robust,” while also highlighting the Authority’s emphasis on integrity and investor protection.
The development comes as Ethiopia continues to build out the institutional architecture of its young capital market. Regulatory authorities have been gradually expanding participation, licensing intermediaries, and setting operational standards aimed at establishing a functional and transparent market environment.
