
EagleLion System Technology is expanding Mastercard's payment network in Ethiopia through new agreements with its subsidiaries. StarPay Financial Services, EagleLion's fintech arm, has signed a reseller agreement to distribute Mastercard's payment technologies to merchants, aiming to boost electronic payments and facilitate cross-border transactions for Ethiopian businesses. Additionally, Choice Microfinance Institution, EagleLion's microfinance unit, has partnered with Mastercard for five years to enhance digital lending and banking services, targeting small businesses and low-income customers. Shehryar Bakht Ali, senior vice president and country manager for East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands at Mastercard, stated these agreements will broaden financial access and strengthen merchant networks. These collaborations coincide with EagleLion receiving a Mastercard fintech award in Ethiopia for its contributions to digital financial services, accepted by its founder and chief executive, Bersufekad Getachew Amare. Mastercard is increasing its involvement in Ethiopia as the financial sector opens to new technologies.
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Must ReadThe National Bank of Ethiopia NBE has removed the credit growth cap for commercial banks, nearly three years after its introduction in August 2023. This decision follows a Monetary Policy Committee meeting, where regulators noted a successful transition to an interest-based policy framework. The cap, initially set at 14 percent to curb inflation, was later adjusted to 18 percent in December 2024 and 24 percent in September 2025. Although inflation has eased due to economic reforms and forex market liberalization from mid-2024, the NBE anticipates continued double-digit headline inflation for the next six months, partly due to the Middle East conflict. In response, the NBE is increasing its policy rate by one percentage point to 16 percent as a counter-tightening measure. Additionally, the central bank is reducing the forex surrender requirement for goods exports from 50 percent to 30 percent to boost export competitiveness and market confidence. The NBE's forex commission rate has also been lowered by one percentage point to 1.5 percent.
Must ReadThe Ethiopian Human Rights Council EHRCO issued an urgent appeal on July 12, 2026, demanding an immediate end to systemic rights violations as a mandatory military recruitment drive sweeps across the northern Tigray region. The Tigray regional council, an entity dissolved under the 2022 Pretoria peace deal and reinstated unilaterally earlier this year, passed a decree on June 24, 2026, mandating compulsory military service and enforcing the death penalty for those who object. EHRCO confirmed that local authorities are using the decree to conduct forced roundups, targeting "youth and children whose age is not even full 18 years." These developments occur amid escalating political and military friction between the Tigray People's Liberation Front TPLF and the federal government. EHRCO observed that the threat of a returning war is triggering widespread panic, forcing "a high number of residents and youth to leave their area and migrate." EHRCO's warning aligns with mounting apprehension from the international community. In its statement, EHRCO said that forced conscription directly violates the constitution and international treaties like the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The body implored both the federal government and the TPLF to de-escalate and "facilitate a condition where it is resolved in a peaceful way by talking around a table." EHRCO stated that the FDRE government must fulfill its constitutional obligation to maintain the peace and security of citizens of th

Wolwalo Adigrat University secured their first domestic knockout title, the Ethiopian Cup, by defeating Sidama Coffee 2-0 in the final at Addis Ababa Stadium. This victory also earned them a spot in the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup. The match was scoreless at halftime, largely due to Wolwalo goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa's two crucial saves. Wolwalo broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half with a goal from Ghanaian striker Konkoni Hafiz. Despite sustained pressure from Sidama Coffee, Wolwalo's defense held firm. A potential equalizer for Sidama Coffee was disallowed for a handball violation during stoppage time, and moments later, substitute Beyene Banja sealed Wolwalo's win. This historic win makes Wolwalo Adigrat University the first football club from the Tigray Regional State to lift the Ethiopian Cup. The defeat ended Sidama Coffee's bid for a historic double, as they had recently won the 2025/26 Ethiopian Premier League title, marking their most successful season in club history under head coach Wondimagegn Teshome.