Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) Registers Sidama Bank Shares

The Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) has approved the registration of 1,447,002 existing shares held by shareholders of Sidama Bank S.C., marking another step in the ongoing registration of securities under Ethiopia’s evolving capital market framework.

According to a notice issued by the Authority, the Registration Statement was approved on July 20, 2026, in accordance with Articles 4 and 29 of the Public Offer and Trading of Securities Directive No. 1030/2024.

The registration covers only shares already held by the bank’s existing shareholders and does not involve the issuance of new shares or a public offering.

Under the directive, all securities offered or sold to the public must be registered with the Authority. The framework also requires companies to register securities already held by shareholders before the directive came into force, ensuring issuers comply with Ethiopia’s capital market regulations.

ECMA emphasized that the registration should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Sidama Bank or as an invitation to purchase or subscribe to its shares.

The registration forms part of the Authority’s broader effort to strengthen transparency and regulatory oversight as Ethiopia’s capital market continues to expand. In recent months, ECMA has registered the securities of several commercial banks as institutions prepare to participate in the country’s developing securities market under the new regulatory framework.

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