Ethiopia Showcases Mining Investment Opportunities to Japanese Investors in Tokyo

Addis Ababa, December 19, 2025 (ENA) — A business forum aimed at promoting investment opportunities in Ethiopia’s mining sector was held in Tokyo on December 18, bringing together Ethiopian and Japanese public and private sector stakeholders.

The forum was organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Tokyo in collaboration with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and other relevant institutions, and targeted Japanese investors engaged in the mining sector.

In his opening remarks, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Japan, Daba Debele, noted that Ethiopia possesses significant reserves of gold, natural gas, potash, tantalum, and other valuable minerals, which have increasingly attracted the interest of foreign investors in recent years.

 

 

He emphasized that the mining sector has gained growing importance in the national economy, particularly following the government’s recent economic reforms, and encouraged Japanese companies to explore investment opportunities in the sector.

In a video message to participants, Minister of Mines Habtamu Tegegne highlighted the mining sector as one of Ethiopia’s priority economic areas, underscoring the country’s substantial gold and mineral reserves.

 

He noted that gold production has increased markedly in recent years as a result of ongoing reforms and assured potential investors that the Ministry would provide the necessary support to foreign companies operating in the sector.

Deputy Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Dagato Kumbe, also said providing a detailed overview of government incentives available to mining investors, including the availability of a one-stop service designed to facilitate investment processes.

Hiroshi Kubota, Vice President of Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) said the forum had deepened his understanding of the vital role the mining sector plays in Ethiopia’s economy.

He noted that his institution would extend support to Japanese companies interested in investing in Ethiopia’s mining sector.