Issue 134: Brace for Change

HelloThe past week was packed with multiple developments, including three major stories about upcoming regulations and strategies. Additionally, we have gathered stories from various outlets to keep you informed.

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Parliament Considers VAT Expansion to Telecoms, Ride-hailing, E-commerce 

Last week, a proclamation was tabled in Parliament proposing to expand the value-added tax (VAT) to encompass several goods and services that were previously exempt. These include telecom services, ride-hailing, and e-commerce. Read More.

Government Agencies Unite to Ease Company CreationThe Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) has signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several organizations to create an Integrated Company Creation Journey (ICCJ) process. Read More.

Ethiopian Brands Take Flight with Store 251 

While many Ethiopian artisans leverage social media to sell their products, few have made the leap to e-commerce platforms. Store 251 is a platform designed to bridge this gap, offering an online store for local manufacturers to sell their products. Read More.

Can Mido Booking Crack the Code? 

Mido Booking, a beauty and wellness appointment management app, went live last week. While the global subscription market is growing at a rapid pace, there are not enough examples of successful startups with subscription-based business models in Ethiopia. Read More.

Ethiosat Hosts Over 70 TV Channels 

The service and accessibility of Ethiosat, an Ethiopian communication satellite platform that provides satellite services to television channels for an Ethiopian audience, is reported to be growing steadily. Read More.

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Ministry of Revenue Issues Over 125,000 New Tax IDs Using Fayda 

The Ministry of Revenue (MoR) announces issuing 128,000 new Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) using the Fayda Digital ID. Read More.

Electric Charging Stations to Get StandardA bill proposing technical standards, licensing requirements, and safety measures for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations was up for public consultation two weeks ago. Read More.

Innovate First, Then Regulate: Ethiopia Charts E-commerce Regulatory Sandbox 

Ethiopia is seeking to establish an E-commerce Regulatory Sandbox to simplify the registration and licensing of e-commerce platforms, promote e-receipt adoption, and improve tax collection within the sector. Read More.

Event AlertSTRIDE Ethiopia 2024 Annual Grand ExpoDate- From May 19 to May 26, 2024Venue- ICT Park

Here is what we've been reading:

The graying gig economyDigital lenders reduce shaming after controlsKenya’s Copia mulls shutdown amid plans to lay off over 1,000 staffIf you are here because someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here to get future newsletters.