PM Abiy Unveils State-of-the-Art National Precious Metals Refinery

Addis Ababa, October 10, 2026 (ENA)—Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has inaugurated the National Precious Metals Refinery, a state-of-the-art facility with an annual capacity to process over 600 tonnes of precious metals, marking a significant leap in the country's industrial development and economic diversification efforts.

 

During the launch, the Prime Minister said: “I am proud to announce the launch of the National Precious Metals Refinery at Bole Lemi Special Economic Zone, established through a partnership between Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) and Sam Precious Metals.”

The refinery is poised to make a substantial impact, as it marks a major milestone in advancing domestic value addition, strengthening Ethiopia’s mining sector, and positioning the country as a regional hub for precious metals refining.

According to the Prime Minister, this initiative underscores the Medemer government’s commitment to leveraging productive resources to boost industrial capacity, thereby enhancing export earnings, creating skilled jobs, supporting the jewellery industry, and fostering a more transparent and competitive gold value chain.

 

PM Abiy further emphasized that from resource extraction to industrial transformation, the focus is on creating greater value domestically.