Most Private Banks Clear NBE’s 5 Billion Birr Capital Deadline
The National Bank of Ethiopia’s deadline for private commercial banks to raise paid-up capital to at least 5 billion birr has passed, and the overwhelming majority of banks met it. According to information gathered by The Reporter, banks required to reach the 5 billion birr threshold by Sene 30, 2018 EC (early July 2026) had fulfilled the requirement by the close of the fiscal year.
Eight banks remain short of the floor and have been given until 2028 to comply: ZamZam Bank, Amo Bank, Ramis Bank, Sidama Bank, Hijra Bank, Gadaa Bank, Shabelle Bank, and Goh Betoch Bank. These are largely newer entrants that joined the industry later and were granted a longer runway to build up capital.
The scale of the industry’s capital build reflects a decade of aggressive raising, and independent reporting on individual banks’ results generally lines up with The Reporter’s account. Awash Bank leads the sector by a wide margin, with paid-up capital reaching 38.5 billion birr for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, according to the bank’s own disclosures. Bank of Abyssinia followed with 17.5 billion birr, after shareholders approved raising capital from 15 billion to 20 billion birr during the year. Siinqee Bank confirmed 15 billion birr, while Dashen Bank’s capital stood at roughly 14.3 billion birr in its most recent audited results, with a prospectus outlining a further rise toward 21 billion birr. Zemen Bank closed the fiscal year with paid-up capital above 14 billion birr, and Cooperative Bank of Oromia’s shareholders approved raising capital to 21 billion birr, with disclosed capital in the 12 to 13 billion birr range during the year. Tsedey Bank and Wegagen Bank both crossed the 10 billion birr mark, at roughly 10.5 billion and 10.1 billion birr respectively, while Abay Bank’s paid-up capital reached 9.66 billion birr. The Reporter’s figures for the remaining mid-sized and smaller compliant banks, including Oromia International, Nib International, Amhara, Enat, Birhan, Buna, and Anbessa, could not be independently corroborated in time for publication but are broadly consistent with the sector’s overall trajectory.
Private Banks’ Paid-Up Capital at a Glance
| Bank | Paid-Up Capital | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Awash Bank | 38.5 billion birr (FY ended June 2026) | Compliant |
| Bank of Abyssinia | 17.5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Siinqee Bank | 15 billion birr | Compliant |
| Dashen Bank | ~14.3 billion birr | Compliant |
| Zemen Bank | Above 14 billion birr | Compliant |
| Cooperative Bank of Oromia | ~12.8 billion birr (approved to rise to 21B) | Compliant |
| Tsedey Bank | ~10.5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Wegagen Bank | ~10.1 billion birr | Compliant |
| Abay Bank | 9.66 billion birr | Compliant |
| Oromia International Bank | 6–9 billion birr | Compliant |
| Nib International Bank | 6–9 billion birr | Compliant |
| Amhara Bank | 6–9 billion birr | Compliant |
| Enat Bank | Above 5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Birhan Bank | Above 5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Buna Bank | Above 5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Anbessa Bank | Above 5 billion birr | Compliant |
| Amo Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Ramis Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Sidama Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Hijra Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Gadaa Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Shabelle Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| Goh Betoch Bank | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
| ZamZam Bank* | Below 5 billion birr | Deadline: 2028 |
Figures for Awash, Bank of Abyssinia, Siinqee, Dashen, Zemen, Cooperative Bank of Oromia, Tsedey, Wegagen, and Abay were cross-checked against banks’ own disclosures and independent industry reporting. Remaining figures are as reported by The Reporter and were not independently verified for this piece. *Bank name as transcribed from source; pending verification.
Analysts read the deadline as a lever for consolidation rather than a one-off compliance exercise. With close to 30 banks operating in a market NBE would rather see served by fewer, stronger institutions, experts say the regulator could use its authority to keep raising the capital floor and push weaker banks toward mergers. Ethiopia’s new bank establishment proclamation already includes a provision letting NBE compel mergers when it judges them necessary.
A finance expert who spoke to The Reporter said the current 5 billion birr floor is unlikely to hold, arguing NBE’s broader trend points toward pushing the minimum higher, even for banks already in compliance and even before the 2028 deadline for the remaining stragglers. The Reporter’s attempts to obtain additional comment directly from NBE were unsuccessful.
Source: Reporter