Lideta Condominium

Lideta Condominium is a government condominium site in Lideta sub-city, in the west of central Addis Ababa. It was the first inner-city renewal project of the city housing program. It was also the first site to use taller blocks of a ground floor plus seven storeys, with lifts. Its central location and short trips to Merkato, Mexico and Meskel Square keep demand high.

Where it is and how to get there

OpenStreetMap places the site around Bekele Weya Street and Liberia Street, in the Darmar area of Lideta. A bus stop named Lideta Condominium sits on Bekele Weya Street.

• Light rail. Both light rail lines share a 2.7 km section that runs from the Lideta stop to Meskel Square. From Lideta the north-south line runs north to Merkato and Menelik II Square. The east-west line runs west to Tor Hailoch.
• Roads. Bekele Weya Street and Liberia Street run past the blocks. Most central offices are a short ride away.
• Landmarks. Lideta School stayed on the site during the renewal. The Senga Tera 40/60 towers are a short distance to the east, near Mexico Square.

History and housing program

Before the renewal, Lideta was a dense, unplanned settlement without a formal sewer system. A 2011 UN-Habitat report gives the details:

• The site covers 26 hectares. It held 1,070 households and up to 6,000 people.
• The city met residents in March 2009 and launched the Local Development Plan on 6 May 2009.
• The plan gave 8 hectares to condominium blocks, 4 hectares to commercial use and 5 hectares to multi-use buildings. The rest went to green space, social services, roads and plots for displaced owners.
• About a quarter of the land went to private investors by lease auction. Awash International Bank and Dashen Bank were among the buyers. The lease income helped to subsidise the housing.
• The design by TELDA Consult included blocks of four to nine storeys, lifts, solar panels and playgrounds. The city set aside ETB 236 million for the project.

Kebele tenants could take a new unit if they paid a 20 percent down payment, in three stages if needed. Many chose units elsewhere. The report says 780 households moved to the Gotera and Gofa sites. Residents also complained about short notice and low compensation.

A 2021 Addis Ababa University thesis on the Lideta condominium found that many lottery winners did not move in. They rented their units to better-off tenants instead. It cites a city figure of 1,859 condominium units built and handed over in Lideta sub-city as a whole by 2015. We could not confirm the unit count or the handover year for this site alone.

Blocks and unit types

Each block mixes the four standard unit types: studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom. The UN-Habitat report says early blocks were four or five storeys high to avoid lifts. Lideta broke that rule because the land is so valuable. Its taller blocks need lifts, which raises the cost of upkeep. Ask whether the lift in your block works and who pays for it.

Listings in Lideta show 1 bedroom units of 47 to 54 m², 2 bedroom units of 70 to 78 m² and 3 bedroom units of 92 to 105 m². One listing gives two sizes for the same unit: 48 m² on the digital title map and 51 m² with its share of common areas. Always ask which figure a seller quotes.

Prices to buy and rent

These are asking prices for condominium units listed in Lideta on Jiji in October 2026. Some may be on other sites in the same sub-city.

A 2 bedroom unit of 72 m² on the ground floor of Lideta Condominium was listed at ETB 9 million. A 1 bedroom unit of 54 m² on the 4th floor was listed at ETB 6.3 million.

We found few rent listings for the site in October 2026. Several sellers state that their 1 and 2 bedroom units rent for ETB 45,000 to ETB 50,000 a month. Use these claims as a rough guide only. Compare current condominiums for rent and condominiums for sale across the city.

Living there

Lideta is one of the most central condominium sites in the city. Merkato, Mexico and Meskel Square are close. The light rail gives a direct link east, west and north. The site plan reserved plots for banks, a hotel and shops.

The trade-off is density. A central site brings more traffic and noise than the outer sites. Upkeep of lifts and shared areas depends on the owners' association, so ask about the monthly fee and any unpaid amount.

Buying checks

1. Title. Ask for the title deed or digital map certificate. Check that the name matches the seller's ID.
2. Loan balance. Ask the bank for any remaining loan and agree in writing who pays it.
3. Transfer. Ask the housing office whether the unit can transfer now. Our guide to the Addis Ababa Housing Development Corporation explains the process.
4. Occupancy rules. The city has told owners of empty units to move in or lose their contracts. Check the current rules if you plan to rent the unit out.
5. Costs. Add broker fees, often 2 percent on listing sites, plus transfer taxes. See property tax and fees in Ethiopia.

Read our full condominium guide before you pay a deposit. Nearby sites include Senga Tera, Gotera and Gofa Mebrat Hail.