NEBE seeks additional 10 billion birr ahead of elections
Getachew Reda, opposition parties form rival Tigray council
NEBE seeks additional 10 billion birr ahead of elections
Two weeks before Ethiopia’s General Elections, the National Election Board of Ethiopia requested an additional supplementary budget of nearly 10 billion birr from parliament. If approved, the board’s total budget for the elections will exceed 20 billion birr. NEBE said the additional funds may be needed because elections could not be conducted in some areas due to security challenges, while repeat elections may be required in others following disputes over results. Federal and regional elections will not be held in Tigray or in disputed territories between Tigray and Amhara regions, including Wolkayt, Tegede, and Humera. In a related development, NEBE said the national security monitoring taskforce has concluded that most parts of the country remain conducive for elections, though it did not identify areas where voting may still be impossible because of insecurity.
Getachew Reda, opposition parties form rival Tigray council
The Simret party, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s advisor and former Tigray Interim Administration president Getachew Reda, and five other opposition parties have established a new council in Addis Ababa aimed at temporarily administering Tigray. The newly formed council, named “Tigray Peace and Change,” includes Arena Tigray, Baitona, Tinsae 70 Enderta, Tigray Independence Party, and Qanchi Haqi, alongside civil society groups and influential individuals. Members of the armed Tigray Peace Force, operating from Afar region with the objective of removing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, also attended the founding conference. Speaking at the event, Getachew said the council would enter the regional capital Mekelle within a short period, arguing that the political crisis in Tigray requires urgent resolution. The council vowed to remove the TPLF-led administration “by any means necessary,” restore stability, and establish an inclusive interim administration.
Dangote expands Ethiopia fertilizer investment to $4 billion
Dangote Group has expanded its planned investment in a urea fertilizer project in Ethiopia’s Somali region from $2.5 billion to $4 billion. The expanded project now includes construction of a 110-kilometer gas pipeline, a 120-megawatt power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a 2 million-ton NPK fertilizer blending plant. The facility, expected to begin operations by 2029, will have the capacity to produce 3 million metric tons of fertilizer annually. Under an agreement signed in August 2025, the state-owned Ethiopian Investment Holdings holds a 40% stake in the project while Dangote Group owns the remaining 60%. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote visited the project site to assess construction progress. Abiy later said the works are advancing as planned across multiple sections of the facility.
Health Ministry bans patient testimonials in medical ads
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health has introduced a new directive prohibiting health institutions from using patient treatment testimonials in advertisements without strict safeguards. Under the directive, individuals featured in medical advertisements must have genuinely received the advertised service and provide written consent before participating. Media organizations are also required to verify the accuracy of medical advertising before publication or broadcast. The ministry said unethical health promotion practices have contributed to distorted public perceptions and misinformation. Institutions found using testimonials without consent or from individuals who did not actually receive treatment may face fines ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 birr. Facilities using minors or individuals incapable of giving consent without legal authorization could face penalties of up to 100,000 birr.
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