The Construction Industry in Ethiopia

This report examines the construction industry and infrastructure development in Africa’s second most populous country, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian construction industry is characterised by a large number of micro-entrepreneurs, the majority of whom operate in the country’s informal economy. Ethiopia’s formal construction sector comprises indigenous and indigenised firms, as well as numerous major foreign civil engineering and construction companies. Although all contractors are required to be registered with the Ethiopian Ministry of Urban Development and Construction, corruption as well as health and safety issues remain a matter of concern.

Investment into Infrastructure

During the past decade robust public and private expenditure on infrastructure and other construction works has served as a catalyst for Ethiopia’s rapid economic development. The country has consistently invested more than 30% of GDP into Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) expenditure since 2010 and as a result, Ethiopia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The market value of the construction sector is currently estimated at more than US$7bn. According to the 2017 edition of African Economic Outlook, construction activities in Ethiopia accounted for 15.9% of GDP at current prices during the 2015/16 fiscal year.

Report Coverage

The Construction Industry in Ethiopia report focuses on conditions in the local sector and details current construction projects including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the largest project under construction in East Africa, with a value of approximately US$4.1bn. Key drivers of growth, current trends in the domestic sector and factors influencing the success of the industry are covered in this detailed report. Profiles for 19 companies are provided including state-owned company, Ethiopian Construction Works Corporation, which employs 15,000 people in Ethiopia and Rwanda. Also profiled are Chinese giants, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC).