Ethiopia: import ban on ICE vehicles drives EV adoption

In January 2024, the Ethiopian government introduced a ban on imports of internal combustion engines (ICE) fueled by fossil-derived fuels. This was communicated through a circular letter within the government and SGS local sources confirmed that the ban was implemented to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.

According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics, there are about 100,000 EVs in use including light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles (e.g. electric buses, which are slowly beginning to appear on the streets). Electric motorbikes are also being adopted in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. In April 2024, the Addis Ababa Transport Bureau implemented a new Directive No.155/2