As the government of Ethiopia cautiously open up the economy for foreign participation especially in the agro-allied sector, EthioLease,a subsidiary of African Assets Finance Company (AAFC) the first foreign-owned leasing company has just received 44 tractors as part of a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the company signed with the Ministry of Agriculture(MOA) and the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). The agriculture equipment will help ATA farmers’ mechanization centers which provide services to clusters of smallholder farmers who cannot afford or do not wish to buy equipment. These tractors are part of the first batch of equipment, in addition to the 13 tractors already handed over to lessees and are a continuation of the company’s commitment to the country’s agricultural mechanization transformation endeavor.
The collaborative agreement has the potential to reach over 60 centers in the next three years with EthioLease providing over 150 million dollars’ worth of agriculture equipment. Speaking on the latest delivery of equipment, EthioLease Board Chairman Girma Wake said: “the arrival of these additional tractors will contribute to utilizing the country’s immense potential for agriculture mechanization through leased equipment.” He added, “This kind of support will maximize the efficiency of labor and enhance the farmers productivity.”
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EthioLease is a subsidiary of Africa Asset Finance Company Inc. (AAFC). The company began operations in August after receiving a license from the National Bank of Ethiopia. It was formed to address the equipment and forex shortages in Ethiopia by providing capital goods financing and a wide range of leasing services for multiple sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, energy, food processing (coffee processing), and manufacturing, among other verticals. Commenting on the significance of leasing services for Ethiopia’s agriculture sector in particular, EthioLease CEO Girum Tsegaye noted that “financial services are a critical enabler for sustainable economic growth which will increase productivity among farmers to ensure poverty reduction and food security as well as significant financial gains.”
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EthioLease buys and imports equipment and oversees its maintenance and proper use throughout the lease period. Typically, the lessee will have an option to buy the equipment from the company at the end of the lease period. Since its launch, EthioLease has provided leasing services to address equipment shortages in the agriculture, healthcare, energy, and food processing sectors, including some in manufacturing. To date, EthioLease has signed leasing agreements with more than 60 customers.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry