Ethiopian Central Bank System Becomes Obstacle for Exporters

According to Ethiopian media reports on September 14, 2025, exporters in Ethiopia recently stated that their businesses are facing severe disruptions due to outdated systems and poor communication between financial institutions and the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE, the central bank).

Several exporters expressed frustration with the way the NBE operates, particularly its practice of blacklisting exporters for what they consider minor payment delays. They stressed that the absence of a digital tool to quickly check blacklist status has seriously disrupted their export schedules. Many recalled that the process used to be simple and efficient but has now become extremely cumbersome, making it difficult to arrange shipments in line with client demands.

When exporters apply for export permits through commercial banks, they often encounter unexpected delays due to being placed on the NBE’s restricted list. “The bank informs us that we are on the central bank’s blacklist but refuses to provide specific details,” one exporter said. This situation forces major exporters to travel to the NBE headquarters in the capital to determine the reason for blacklisting and to submit the required explanatory documents.

“In the past, using the single-window system or the central bank’s own platform, we could check this information online every month without needing to make the trip. Now, we only find out we are blacklisted when applying for an export permit,” another exporter lamented. They pointed out that the old system was crucial for coordinating export plans with railway and shipping schedules, whereas the lack of such a system today means frequent trips to the NBE office.

Adding to the dissatisfaction, exporters reported that the NBE even blacklists them over trivial disputes involving small sums of money—a system originally intended for market participants failing to meet foreign exchange obligations or whose accounts had bounced payments. Exporters also disclosed that export operations depend heavily on coordination between local banks and correspondent banks, but this process remains highly opaque. “We have no way of knowing how much correspondent banks deduct in service fees, nor can we negotiate rates. Local banks only inform us of deductions when there are minor discrepancies in receivables,” one anonymous exporter explained. “This is an issue that should be resolved between banks and regulators, but ultimately we are the ones who bear the consequences.”

It is worth noting that although the NBE has introduced a new electronic reporting system for banks to submit reasons for blacklisting—replacing the previous requirement for paper letters—exporters still expect regulators to provide more modern solutions that would allow them to check their blacklist status proactively.