How to read the cement price
Cement in Ethiopia sells by the quintal. One quintal is 100 kg, which is two 50 kg bags. The official list gives a price per quintal, delivered, with loading and unloading, without VAT.
There are two common types. PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement) is the general type for plaster, masonry and most concrete. OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) gains strength faster and costs more. In the latest list, OPC is ETB 2,400 per quintal and PPC is ETB 2,100 per quintal. Your structural engineer decides which type each part of a building needs.
What happened to the price
The official PPC rate stayed near ETB 1,100 per quintal from mid 2023 to mid 2025. It was ETB 982.61 in 2017 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2025). Then it rose to ETB 2,100 per quintal in 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026).
The rise followed a fuel shock. Fuel is 40 to 50 percent of the cost of making cement, according to Addis Fortune. The government raised the price of diesel twice in March and April 2026. Traders told The Horn Frequency that a quintal that sold for about ETB 1,200 went up to ETB 3,000 within two weeks.
The market price differs from the official rate
The bureau sets its rate once a quarter, for the budgets of city offices. Shops change their price every day. In 2026 the price of a quintal moved by up to ETB 150 in one day in Addis Ababa. Use the official rate to plan a budget, then get a written price from a supplier on the day you buy.
Since November 2024 cement plants set their own prices. Plants sell through licensed wholesalers and retailers. Large projects, real estate developers and ready-mix producers can buy direct from the plant.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of cement in Ethiopia today?
The latest official Addis Ababa rate is ETB 2,100 per quintal for PPC and ETB 2,400 per quintal for OPC, without VAT, for 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026). Shop prices change every day, so ask a supplier for the price on the day you buy.
How many bags are in a quintal of cement?
One quintal is 100 kg. Cement bags in Ethiopia hold 50 kg, so one quintal is two bags.
How much has the price of PPC cement changed in Addis Ababa?
The official rate moved from ETB 1,100 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 2,100 per quintal in 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026). That is a change of +90.9%.
Why is OPC more expensive than PPC?
OPC has more clinker and gains strength faster, so it costs more to make. In the latest official list OPC is ETB 2,400 per quintal and PPC is ETB 2,100 per quintal.
Sources
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2018 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q3
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q2
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q1
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q3
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q2
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q1
- The Horn Frequency: Sharp rise in cement prices hits markets across Ethiopia (March 2026)
- Addis Fortune: A sack of cement, with the chain no one can see (July 2026)
- Conmart: Cement prices in Ethiopia today (March 2026)
- The Reporter Magazine: Ethiopian cement market, deregulation delivers, but clouds loom (January 2025)
- Capital: Gov't raises fuel prices by 16.6% as subsidy burden reaches 272 billion birr (April 2026)
These prices are reference figures for a budget. They are not a quote. Prices change every week, so get a written price from a supplier before you buy.