Lebu, Addis Ababa

Lebu is a residential area in the south-west of Addis Ababa, in Nifas Silk-Lafto sub-city. It grew quickly as the city expanded south. Lebu has new houses, apartment buildings and condominium sites, with open land still on its edges. It is also home to the Addis Ababa terminal of the railway to Djibouti.

Living in Lebu

Lebu is mainly residential. Many homes are new, and building continues across the area. Shops, schools and clinics have opened along the main roads. Some inner streets are still unpaved.

Listings use local names such as Lebu Mebrat Hail. Jemo and Lafto lie next to Lebu, and the areas share many services.

The area offers more space at lower prices than central areas such as Sarbet or Old Airport. In return, residents accept longer trips to the center.

Lebu attracts many families who build their own homes. Plots here are larger than in the center. Many owners build in stages and move in before the house is complete. As a result, finished and unfinished houses often stand on the same street. Services improve each year as the population grows.

Property types and prices

Lebu offers:

• New G+1 and G+2 family houses
• Apartment buildings from smaller developers
• Condominium units in nearby sites
• Plots of land and unfinished houses

Prices in Lebu are usually lower than in central areas. They vary a lot between finished houses, unfinished houses and plots. We do not have enough reliable data to give a price range. Compare current houses for sale and land for sale.

Getting around

The Furi-Lebu station is the Addis Ababa terminal of the electric railway to Djibouti. It serves long-distance trips, not daily city travel. The city light rail does not reach Lebu today. Plans for future light rail lines include routes that end at Lebu, but these lines are not built.

Minibus taxis link Lebu with Mexico, Saris and other areas. The ring road connects the south-west with Kaliti and the east of the city. Trips to the center and Bole can be slow at peak hours.

Who Lebu suits

• Families who want a new house at a lower price
• Buyers who want to build on their own plot
• Investors who expect the south-west to keep growing
• People who work in the south and west of the city

It suits people who need to be in Bole every day less well.

Buying or renting in Lebu

Check the land title with great care, especially for plots and unfinished houses. Confirm that the plot lies inside the city boundary and has a legal title. Some land at the edge of the city falls under Oromia, not Addis Ababa, and follows different rules. Ask about road access, water and power connections. Visit in the rainy season if you can. For an unfinished house, get a builder to estimate the cost to complete it before you agree on a price. Our guide on how to buy a house in Addis Ababa lists the checks. See also nearby Jemo.