29/11/2025
The National Bank of Ethiopia has officially re-licensed Standard Bank’s Representative Office in Ethiopia in line with the newly revised Banking Business Proclamation.
Following the revised proclamation, the licensing and supervision of REPOs now fall under NBE’s regulatory mandate. As part of this transition, NBE has begun re-licensing foreign bank representative offices that previously operated under licenses issued by the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, as well as reviewing new applications.
Standard Bank, which has maintained a presence in Ethiopia through a representative office, becomes the first institution to be formally licensed by NBE under the new framework.
Representative Offices act as commercial and liaison hubs for foreign banks, engaging in market research, relationship building, and promotional activities. They do not provide banking services or conduct financial transactions.
