News
Government and city housing programs, condominiums and affordable housing.
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· FurtherAfrica
The Ethiopian Army Foundation and UAE-based Reportage Properties launched a mixed-use housing development in Addis Ababa. The project covers 23,000 square metres and includes two residential towers with 1,086 apartments. It also includes about 15,000 square metres of commercial space, recreational facilities and landscaped green areas.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
Housing remains a critical challenge in Ethiopia. Limited access to land, finance, and decent employment has left the majority of citizens unable to afford adequate housing. With 70 percent of the population under the age of 30, the demand for housing is rising rapidly, exposing homebuyers to misconduct in a sector still short of enforceable protections.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
Mayor Adanech Abiebie says Addis Ababa still owes nearly 30 billion Birr in housing-related debt, and this debt limits bank financing for new condominium projects. Speaking to the City Council, she said her administration inherited more than 60 billion Birr in condominium liabilities. The city has repaid around 60 billion Birr over time, but interest charges continue to grow.
· The Reporter Magazine
Ethiopia faces a critical housing shortage requiring 471,000 units annually according to World Bank forecasts, with Addis Ababa needing over one million apartments by 2036. Despite extensive construction activity, experts identify rapid urbanization, skyrocketing land prices, and severely limited access to mortgage financing as the primary obstacles preventing the nation from addressing its massive housing demand.
· Ethiopian News Agency
Housing developments across Ethiopia continue to enhance living conditions for families by expanding access to safe and durable homes that promote security, dignity, and stability. In a social media post, the Office of the Prime Minister said that despite persistently high housing demand, the Government of Ethiopia is implementing a broad range of interventions that combine formal housing delivery with targeted social support programs.
· Ethiopian News Agency
Ethiopia is making strides in ensuring affordable housing and strengthening urban resilience through various mechanisms, according to the Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure. Addressing a high-level panel on housing in Ethiopia and across Africa, Urban and Infrastructure State Minister Hellen Debebe said the Government of Ethiopia has been conducting different housing provision mechanisms to alleviate the housing problem.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
This week saw private and state-owned developers sign contracts valued at 67 billion Birr for the construction of more than 4,100 housing units in Addis Ababa under the Chaka Housing Development Project. The venture agreement is part of a broader 72 billion birr housing initiative under a public-private partnership (PPP), officially signed on July 3, 2025, between the Ministry of Finance and various real estate companies. A statement released following the signing details that 4,175 housing units will be constructed as part of the project.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
Only Syria and Cuba rank lower than Ethiopia on a recently published global index on income and property prices, highlighting the massive gap between income and housing costs in Addis Ababa and elsewhere. According to Numbeo, a crowd-sourced online database of consumer prices, property prices, and quality of life metrics, Ethiopia's property price-to-income ratio (PIR) is 47.1, indicating the average Ethiopian spends almost half of their income on housing.
· Ethiopian Business Review
Two newly established banks, Goh Betoch and Selam, are attempting to revive mortgage banking in Ethiopia to address a severe housing shortage. Ethiopia faces annual housing demand of 400,000 units against supply of less than 100,000, creating a backlog exceeding one million units. Experts warn the banks face significant obstacles, including inadequate legal frameworks for mortgage lending, difficulty mobilizing long-term funds, and the absence of specialized regulatory guidelines from the National Bank of Ethiopia.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
This article details the second and most extensive phase of Addis Ababa's Corridor Development Project, an ambitious urban transformation initiative in Ethiopia's capital. It covers the relocation of residents to improved housing and infrastructure upgrades including fire hydrants, drainage systems, and recreational facilities, with 110 plazas and 53 playgrounds planned for the phase.
· Capital Ethiopia
Ovid Group has announced a significant agreement to construct and deliver 5,000 homes over the next two years in collaboration with two major institutions. This initiative aims to provide affordable, modern housing options to various stakeholders, including Ride Transport and its affiliated entities.
· Capital Ethiopia
Goh Betoch Bank, Ethiopia's sole mortgage lender, has entered into a partnership with Global Trade and Finance Inc., a US-based consulting firm. The collaboration aims to provide technical and financial support to address Ethiopia's severe housing shortage through project financing, technology transfer, and venture capital investment.
· The Reporter Magazine
Ethiopia's housing crisis makes homeownership unattainable for most residents, with renters in Addis Ababa spending approximately 65 percent of monthly income on housing, far exceeding the 28 percent international standard. Though new mortgage banks have emerged to address demand, structural challenges including funding shortages, regulatory constraints, and exorbitant land prices severely limit their capacity to provide accessible financing.
· Birr Metrics
Gift Real Estate has partnered with Addis Ababa's city administration to develop 4,000 housing units in the Le Gare area, with Mayor Adanech Abiebie inaugurating construction on April 27. The initial phase features multi-story buildings reaching 14 to 22 floors. The 4 billion Birr project includes 3,550 residential apartments and 450 commercial spaces, with the city administration receiving 30 percent of completed units to address housing shortages.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Airlines Group plans to build 5,000 additional housing units for its staff with the OVID Group in the Bole Bulbula area. The project is part of a larger deal between the Addis Ababa City Administration and OVID to build 60,000 housing units in the capital. OVID-Kling Consult designed the buildings, which will be eight to ten storeys tall, and prices depend on unit type.
· The Reporter Ethiopia
Addis Ababa's City Administration approved a 450 billion birr housing development by Ovid Group through a 70/30 public-private partnership model. The project will construct 60,000 units in Bole Bulbula, with the developer retaining 70 percent of units for commercial sale while transferring 30 percent to the government for low-income residents. The initiative addresses a critical shortage, as the administration has registered over one million applicants but delivered only about 200,000 units in the previous 13 years.
· The Conversation
Ethiopia launched one of sub-Saharan Africa's largest housing programs, building roughly half a million units under the Integrated Housing Development Programme since 2006. Doctoral fieldwork by researcher Hone Mandefro reveals significant social costs: the lottery-based distribution system has fragmented communities, residents face long commutes to employment centers, and trust levels among neighbors have plummeted compared to previous living situations.