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# Stanbic Bank weighs greenfield entry into Ethiopia amid ownership limit hurdles
- URL: https://www.theglobalbanker.com/stanbic-bank-weighed-greenfield-entry-into-ethiopia-amid-ownership-limit-hurdles/
- Published: 2026-06-11T01:10:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-02T10:07:21.000Z
- Description: Stanbic Bank considered a greenfield entry into Ethiopia as an alternative to acquiring local lenders, signalling a path around Ethiopia's 49% cap on foreign ownership of existing banks.
- Author: TGB Editorial Team
- Tags: Banking News, Africa

Stanbic Bank weighed a greenfield entry into Ethiopia, regional chief executive Joshua Oigara said, considering a direct-build strategy as an alternative to acquiring existing local banks in response to Ethiopia's 49% cap on foreign ownership of existing banks; a greenfield bank can be 100% foreign-owned.

#### BACKGROUND

"Ethiopia does not stop financial institutions from setting up from scratch if you want to own 100% of the entity," Oigara said, according to Business Daily, adding that Stanbic was confident about the route. Under Ethiopia's 2024 banking proclamation, local investors must retain at least 51% of an existing bank, leaving any foreign buyer with no more than 49%.

A greenfield strategy requires establishing operations from the ground up rather than purchasing an existing franchise. 

**Oigara said Kenyan enterprises had already pursued this route in Ethiopia.** Stanbic did not disclose a timeline or capital commitment, and Oigara said the greenfield option remained under consideration.

**Sources: Business Daily, Addis Standard**[](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxNbzdYbFVON0dRa1RaRXRuT0dsR2FGQWhVTjhBOWR4VVZsTGN1RHF3bUtqZDFBd3h3QjFXdmhWMG1nQXpoZVlsQkNlOTF2MWFhc283TXNXMTdiUzhhWFJMYTk1S2xScUlObUFpQjdJSGZmU21XTm5UUE9vaFlpbmNlalZkNzlNbzVycXRuMkE0bUh0T0VlTHdJTHpjZDJkTU9BRF81WmdxVGVsNDF0eDRlTzhpT29zb2xkbFZ2dnZXREhJdzZjdXE0STJHXzJsTnBrMEE?oc=5)