Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, in partnership with GIZ, today launched the Integrated Company Creation Journey, a fully digital system designed to streamline business registration and licensing across the country.

State Minister Abdulhakim Mulu (PhD) said at the event that the platform will cut the time to register a business from 32 days to five and reduce procedural steps from 11 to four. Fully online, the system is expected to serve more than 3.2 million enterprises during the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year, offering a faster and more accessible route for entrepreneurs.

Abdulhakim added that the platform will improve government efficiency while positioning Ethiopia as a more attractive destination for both domestic and international investment. The system integrates multiple services, including licensing, document verification, and coordination across agencies such as INSA, Ethio Telecom, and the Development Bank of Ethiopia, eliminating much of the bureaucracy that previously slowed business creation.

The launch forms part of the Digital Ethiopia 2030 strategy, which aims to make the country a competitive hub for trade and investment. The minister acknowledged financial support from the European Union and stressed that ongoing collaboration with service providers will be key to sustaining the platform’s impact.