Ethiopia is taking a decisive step toward fuel independence with a new bioenergy venture that will convert cassava into bioethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), forming part of a broader effort to reduce fossil fuel imports and diversify the country’s energy portfolio.

The initiative, launched through a partnership between Sunbird Bioenergy Africa and the Ethiopian Mining Corporation (EMC), will establish a large-scale biorefinery designed to produce up to 600 million litres of renewable fuel annually, including SAF for aviation and ethanol blends for transport. Once operational, the project is expected to create 120,000 jobs and generate new income streams for smallholder farmers supplying cassava feedstock.

The collaboration reflects Ethiopia’s shift toward a multi-fuel energy future, following its nationwide electric vehicle rollout, the Calub oil refinery under construction, and the recently inaugurated Ogaden LNG project. Together, these developments represent a coordinated strategy to reduce the country’s four-billion-US-dollar annual fuel import bill.

Sunbird Bioenergy, which operates in Zambia and Sierra Leone and is expanding into Nigeria, Congo, and Zimbabwe, brings extensive experience in renewable fuel production and low-carbon power generation. Richard Bennett, the company’s founder and CEO, said Ethiopia offers the right policy environment to develop the biofuel industry. “Ethiopia already has the foundation for companies like us to operate,” he said. “The World Bank has been exploring how finance can support the long-term sustainability of such projects.”

The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two sides will also supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Ethiopian Airlines, as the carrier explores cleaner alternatives in line with international aviation decarbonisation targets.

According to Tewodros Getachew, CEO of EMC, the biorefinery will have an initial capacity of 40–60 million litres per year, with expansion plans to meet national demand. “This partnership will allow Ethiopia to produce jet fuel locally for the first time,” he said, adding that EMC will coordinate the project through production to end-user delivery.