Gerji Condominium

Gerji Condominium in Bole sub-city is the first government condominium project in Ethiopia. The city and the German agency GTZ built it as a pilot, and residents moved in from 2006. Later blocks, including 40/60 units, now stand around it. Gerji sits between Bole and Megenagna, which keeps demand and prices high. This page covers the condominium blocks. For the wider area, see our Gerji neighborhood guide.

Where it is and how to get there

OpenStreetMap shows several condominium groups in Gerji. Listings use these names:

• Gerji Condominium. The original block group, south of the Gerji Mebrat Hail road.
• GTZ condominium. Named after the German agency that ran the pilot. OpenStreetMap marks a GTZ 2 Condominium just north of the first group.
• Gerji Mebrat Hail. Blocks next to a compound of the state power utility, along the road from Egziabher Ab to Mebrat Hail.
• Jackros. A condominium group to the west, toward Bole.

Anbessa city bus route AB071 runs from Gerji Mebrat Hail to Darmar, through the center. The east-west light rail line runs through Megenagna. Unity University has its main campus in Gerji.

History and housing program

A 2011 UN-Habitat report tells the story of the pilot:

• GTZ and the Addis Ababa City Administration started the project in 2002, at the request of the mayor.
• The architect Fasil Giorgis drew the first master plan. It had 750 units of studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom types, an office building and commercial units.
• GTZ managed the works from 2004. The main construction took about eight months.
• The target cost was ETB 800 per m². The real cost was ETB 886 per m².
• The lottery system did not exist yet. Most units went to government employees already living in Gerji, and to business people, architects and lawyers.

The report also lists problems. The outer walls were not plastered before people moved in, and the inner walls had no plaster at all. Residents plastered and painted the shared areas themselves and set up their own security gate. The city later made full plastering a rule on all sites.

A 2025 paper in Frontiers in Built Environment puts the pilot site at 696 units, handed over in 2006. Addis Fortune wrote in 2019 that the first condominium houses in Gerji were built within a year.

Gerji also has newer 40/60 blocks. In July 2018, Capital reported that about 17,000 40/60 units in Gerji, Bole Bulbula, Ayat, Meri and Summit were close to completion. Gerji 40/60 listings show units on the 4th to 6th floors.

Blocks and unit types

The pilot blocks hold studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units. Newer blocks add larger units, including 3 bedrooms. Listings in October 2026 show:

• 1 bedroom: 37 to 54 m²
• 2 bedroom: 72 to 84 m²
• 3 bedroom: about 107 m²

Ask whether the size is the area on the title map or a larger figure that includes common areas.

Prices to buy and rent

These are asking prices seen on Jiji in October 2026.

In 2022, The Reporter named Gerji with Balderas, Gotera and Gofa Mebrat Hail as the most expensive condominium sites in the city. Gerji rents are among the higher condominium rents we saw. This reflects its location between Bole and Megenagna. Browse current condominiums for sale and condominiums for rent.

Living there

Gerji is a mixed area of condominium blocks, villa compounds and new apartment buildings. Main roads carry shops, cafes and pharmacies. The pilot blocks are now about 20 years old, so check the stairs, roofs, water tanks and pumps. One seller lists a private water tank and pump as an extra, which shows that water supply can be a concern.

Buying checks

1. Title. Ask for the title deed or digital map certificate. Several Gerji listings state that the unit has a digital map.
2. Loan balance. Ask the bank for any remaining loan. Listings often say the debt is cleared. Check this with the bank.
3. 40/60 units. In 2019 a court suspended title transfers for more than 18,000 40/60 units. Ask the housing office whether the unit you want can transfer now.
4. Occupancy rules. The city has told owners of empty 40/60 units to move in or lose their contracts. Check the current rules if you plan to rent out.
5. Payment. Some sellers ask for cash only. Ask early if you need a bank loan. See our mortgage guide.

Read our condominium guide for the schemes and the risks. Nearby condominium sites include Balderas, Summit and Bole Bulbula.