Exporters Guide

Exporters Guide: How to Export from Ethiopia (2026 Step-by-Step)

Last updated: November 2026

This practical guide explains how to export from Ethiopia today: getting your export licence on eTrade, registering your contract and getting an export permit at your bank, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) foreign exchange rules after the July 2024 reform, quality and plant-health certificates, certificates of origin, customs clearance through the electronic single window (eSW), and how to get paid. Rules change often, so always check the official links below before you ship.

Quick summary: export steps at a glance

  1. Register your business and get a TIN.
  2. Get an export trade licence on eTrade (Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration).
  3. Get any sector-specific registration or certificate of competence (e.g. ECTA for coffee).
  4. Find a buyer and sign a sales contract (payment terms + Incoterm).
  5. Register the contract at your bank and get an export permit.
  6. Prepare and pack the goods; get quality inspection / export authorisation.
  7. Get phytosanitary or veterinary certificates where required.
  8. Get a certificate of origin (general, AfCFTA, EU/other preference).
  9. Book transport and insurance; lodge the customs export declaration via eSW.
  10. Ship, send documents to the buyer or bank, and repatriate the proceeds within the deadline.

Step 1: Register your business and get a TIN

Every exporter needs a commercial registration and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) issued by the Ministry of Revenues. Companies also need a memorandum and articles of association. Open a business account with a licensed commercial bank. VAT registration is needed if you exceed the threshold.

Step 2: Get your export trade licence on eTrade

Business registration and licensing are done online on the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) eTrade system. Apply for a trade licence that lists export as the licensed activity, upload your registration certificate, TIN certificate, ID or company documents, and pay the fee. Straightforward applications are often approved within a few working days, but timing varies.

Renewal: trade licences must be renewed every Ethiopian budget year on eTrade. The normal renewal window runs from Hamle 1 to Tahsas 30 (for 2019 E.C., roughly 8 July 2026 to 8 January 2027). Late renewal is possible afterwards with penalties, and a licence left unrenewed too long is cancelled. Renewal usually requires a tax clearance (and, for companies, an audited financial report). Confirm the current window and fees with MoTRI before the deadline.

Step 3: Sector-specific approvals

ProductAuthority / requirement
Coffee and teaEthiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA): exporter certificate of competency (Directive No. 1100/2025, amended by No. 1106/2025, which sets minimum capital and requires a certified cupping lab), export contract registration (since 1 May 2025), quality inspection and certification. Coffee no longer has to be traded on ECX: exporters can buy directly from farmers and suppliers (vertical integration), and farmers with enough land can export directly.
Sesame, pulses, oilseedsMinistry of Trade and Regional Integration: under the Oil Seeds and Pulses Direct Trading Directive (No. 1026/2024, amended by No. 1115/2025), direct-trade purchases are paid through ECX pay-in/pay-out accounts, and the Ministry registers the contract and issues the export permit. ECX floor trading remains an option. Phytosanitary certificate from EAA. Rules for these crops change often, so confirm with MoTRI and ECX before buying.
Flowers, fruit, vegetables, other plant productsEthiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA): phytosanitary certificate; check import-country rules.
Live animals, meat, hides and skinsMinistry of Agriculture veterinary services: veterinary health certificate; abattoir and quarantine rules. Raw hides and skins carry a 150% export tax (Proclamation No. 567/2000), and semi-processed hides and skins are also taxed, so most exporters ship finished leather.
Processed food, medicinesEthiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA).
Gold and mineralsMinistry of Mines; gold exports go through the NBE.
  • Ministry of Agriculture: moa.gov.et
  • Ethiopian Agricultural Authority: eaa.gov.et
  • Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) and Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX): contact them directly (their websites were not reliably reachable when this guide was updated).

Step 4: Sign the export contract (payment terms and Incoterms)

Your contract should state the product and specification, quantity, price and currency, Incoterm (e.g. FOB Djibouti, FCA Addis Ababa, CIF destination), shipment date, payment method and the documents required.

Under NBE Directive FXD/01/2024, accepted payment methods for goods exports are:

  • Letter of credit (LC) at sight or on acceptance: safest for new buyers.
  • Cash against documents (CAD) at sight or on acceptance.
  • Advance payment (bank transfer, card, or declared cash).
  • Consignment sales (subject to conditions).
  • Open account, only for e-commerce and transactions the NBE explicitly approves.

Use the current Incoterms® 2020 rules. For landlocked Ethiopia, FCA and FOB Djibouti are common; make sure who pays inland transport is clear.

Step 5: Register at your bank and get the export permit

Since the 2024 reform, authorised commercial banks issue export permits; the NBE now issues permits only for gold. For coffee, since 1 May 2025 ECTA registers the export contract and any licensed commercial bank issues the export permit. For oilseeds and pulses bought through direct trading, the Ministry of Trade issues the contract registration and export permit, so check which applies to your product. Submit the signed contract or LC/proforma, your licence and TIN. The bank registers the export and is responsible for making sure the money comes back to Ethiopia. Ask your bank about its current submission method; most now accept electronic copies, and fax or telex is no longer used.

Step 6: Understand the foreign exchange rules (NBE, after the July 2024 float)

  • Repatriation: you must bring export proceeds back to an authorised bank before shipment, at shipment, or within three months at the latest, unless the NBE sets a different period.
  • Retention: 50% of proceeds is converted to birr straight away at the market (freely negotiated) rate. The other 50% goes to your foreign exchange retention account. Exporters in approved Special Economic Zones may keep 100%.
  • How long you can keep it: after the November 2024 amendment, retention balances can be held indefinitely and converted whenever you choose.
  • Use of retained FX: only by the same legal entity, for current-account payments such as imports, services, dividends and external debt service.

Source: NBE Foreign Exchange Directive FXD/01/2024 and FAQ. Check the NBE site for later amendments.

Step 7: Quality inspection and export authorisation

Coffee and tea are inspected and certified by ECTA. For other products, testing, pre-shipment inspection and loading supervision are offered by the Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise (ECAE), a federal body under the Ministry of Trade (re-established by Regulation No. 549/2024), alongside private accredited inspection firms. The Ethiopian Standards Institute (ESI) sets the national standards but does not do the inspections. Which body must issue your export quality or authorisation certificate depends on the product, so ask your bank or clearing agent, or the relevant authority, before booking an inspection. Inspection should match the buyer’s contract specification and any destination-market standards.

Step 8: Phytosanitary and veterinary certificates

Plants and plant products need a phytosanitary certificate from the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA). Animals and animal products need a veterinary health certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture. Check the importing country’s requirements first, such as EU plant-health rules, Gulf halal rules or China’s GACC registration.

Step 9: Certificate of origin and trade preferences

  • General (non-preferential) certificate of origin: from the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations or regional chambers.
  • COMESA certificate of origin: issued by the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations.
  • AfCFTA certificate of origin: issued by the Ethiopian Customs Commission (Council of Ministers Regulation No. 574/2025, Art. 4).
  • EU EUR.1 and other preference certificates: the issuing body has changed over time. Confirm the current issuer with the Ethiopian Customs Commission or the Chamber before shipping.
  • AfCFTA: trading began on 1 January 2021. Ethiopia’s tariff concessions came into force through Council of Ministers Regulation No. 574/2025 (published 14 July 2025). The Ministry of Trade publishes which member countries the concessions apply to. Check your HS code in the AfCFTA e-Tariff Book and the rules of origin.
  • EU: Ethiopia has duty-free, quota-free access under Everything But Arms (EBA).
  • USA / AGOA: Ethiopia has been suspended from AGOA since 1 January 2022. The US extended AGOA to 31 December 2028 in September 2026, but that did not restore Ethiopia. Plan US exports at normal (MFN) duties. See USTR AGOA.

Step 10: Customs clearance through eSW

Export declarations are lodged electronically with the Ethiopian Customs Commission, usually through a licensed customs clearing agent. Ethiopia’s electronic single window (eSW) connects customs with banks and permit-issuing agencies, so many permits and certificates are submitted and checked online. Goods go through risk-based inspection, then are released for transport. Keep all export records for at least five years.

Step 11: Transport, insurance and getting paid

Book freight by air (Ethiopian Airlines Cargo, Bole), or by road or rail to Djibouti port (Ethio-Djibouti Railway; ESLSE multimodal service). Insure the cargo if your Incoterm requires it. Send the shipping documents to the buyer or the bank as the payment method requires, and follow up until the bank confirms the money has arrived.

Export document checklist

  • ☐ Commercial registration and valid export trade licence (eTrade)
  • ☐ TIN certificate (and VAT certificate if registered)
  • ☐ Sector certificate of competence (if applicable, e.g. ECTA)
  • ☐ Signed sales contract, proforma invoice or LC
  • ☐ Bank export permit / registration
  • ☐ Commercial invoice and packing list
  • ☐ Quality / inspection certificate
  • ☐ Phytosanitary or veterinary health certificate
  • ☐ Certificate of origin (general or preferential)
  • ☐ Customs export declaration (eSW)
  • ☐ Bill of lading, air waybill or road/rail consignment note
  • ☐ Insurance certificate (CIF/CIP)
  • ☐ Any buyer- or destination-specific documents (fumigation, halal, lab analysis)

Export incentives in Ethiopia

  • Most exports carry no export duty (the main exception is raw and semi-processed hides and skins), and exports are VAT zero-rated.
  • Export Trade Duty Incentive Schemes (Proclamation No. 768/2012, as amended): duty drawback, voucher, bonded export factory, bonded manufacturing warehouse and bonded input-supply warehouse schemes, which let you use imported inputs for exports without paying duty. Beneficiary certificates are issued under Directive No. 1058/2025; customs procedures are run by the Ethiopian Customs Commission.
  • Income-tax and customs incentives for eligible investors and for companies in industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (including 100% FX retention for SEZ exporters).
  • FX retention: you can keep 50% of proceeds in foreign currency.

See the Ethiopian Investment Commission, the Ministry of Industry and the Ethiopian Customs Commission for eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get an export licence in Ethiopia?

If your registration and TIN are ready, a straightforward eTrade application is often approved within a few working days, though timing varies. Sector certificates such as ECTA’s can take longer. The licence must be renewed every budget year.

How much of my export earnings can I keep in dollars?

50% goes to your retention account and 50% is converted to birr at the market rate. SEZ exporters may keep 100%.

How long do I have to bring export money back?

No more than three months after export, unless the NBE sets another period for your product.

Which payment method is safest?

For new buyers, use an LC confirmed by a reputable bank, or advance payment. Use CAD only with buyers you trust.

Does Ethiopia have AGOA access to the US?

No. Ethiopia has been suspended since 2022 and was still suspended as of November 2026.

Can I export to other African countries duty-free?

Often, yes. Under AfCFTA or COMESA, eligible goods with a valid preferential certificate of origin qualify. Check the AfCFTA e-Tariff Book.

Do I need a customs agent?

It isn’t mandatory, but most exporters use a licensed clearing agent for eSW declarations.

Need help exporting from Ethiopia?

Ethiopian Exporters Consultant helps new and existing exporters with licensing, bank and NBE requirements, documentation, finding buyers and pricing. Book a consultation: call or WhatsApp +251 911 961 515.

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal advice. Regulations change frequently, so confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or your bank before shipping.