Singapore ramps up Africa push with new Ethiopian embassy

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. Photo source: Facebook/Office of the Prime Minister-Ethiopia

Singapore will open an embassy in Ethiopia by 2027. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced during a state visit to the country, signalling a strategic push to strengthen trade and investment ties with Africa’s second-most populous nation.

The new mission in Addis Ababa will be the city-state’s first diplomatic outpost in East Africa and only its third full embassy on the continent, alongside those in Egypt and South Africa. The establishment of an embassy in Addis Ababa signals a significant ramping up of the Singapore’s diplomatic outreach in the continent. The Ethiopian capital hosts the headquarters of the African Union. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the Ethiopian economy will expand by 7.2% in 2025, making it the fastest-growing large economy in Africa. It grew at a stellar 8.8% the previous year, with strong activity seen in industry, agriculture, mining, and construction. The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has set an ambitious target of 9% growth for 2026 – almost 2% higher than what the IMF has forecast.

The trip was PM Wong’s first official visit to Ethiopia and the first by a Singaporean prime minister since Lee Kuan Yew in 1964. It followed his attendance at the G20 summit in South Africa.

During the visit, Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia to deepen collaboration in carbon credits. Singapore has been actively courting African countries for carbon credit trading agreements. It has already inked deals with both Ghana and Rwanda. Under these agreements, Singapore will be able to purchase carbon credits from projects in Ghana and Rwanda to offset a portion of its greenhouse gas emissions.

Delegations from the two countries discussed other areas of cooperation, including trade and investment, as well as digital transformation and connectivity. Bilateral trade between Ethiopia and Singapore amounted to US$205.7m in 2024, driven largely by machinery and related items. Singapore imported US$67.7m worth of Ethiopian goods, ranging from aerospace-related equipment to electrical equipment and agricultural products. Its exports to Ethiopia reached US$138m, dominated by industrial machinery and commodities.

PM Wong also visited the Repi Wilmar soap and detergent factory south of Addis Ababa, owned by Wilmar the Singapore-based palm oil conglomerate. The firm was established in 1974, with Wilmar acquiring majority ownership in 2014. It employs 700 people.

Other Singapore firms with interests in Ethiopia include technology firm Azentio Software, whose Islamic banking software has been implemented at Rammis Bank, a new financial institution in Ethiopia focused on providing sharia-compliant products and services. Singapore-based family office Penataran Group also recently made a US$150,000 seed investment in Tina Mart, a new Ethiopian e-commerce platform focused on apparel, textiles and accessories. Hospitality group Ascott has two upcoming properties in Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Airlines is the only African flag carrier that flies direct to Singapore.

References

‘Azentio Software’s iMAL is now live at Rammis Bank, Ethiopia’, Azentio, 25 May 2023

'Tina Mart kicks off with $150K pre-Seed investment from Singapore-based Penantran Group', Shega, 01 May 2025

'PM Lawrence Wong at the joint press conference with Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed Ali', Prime Minister’s Office Singapore, 24 November 2025

'Singapore and Ethiopia sign memorandum of understanding on carbon credits collaboration', Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, 24 November 2025

'Singapore to open embassy in Addis Ababa as ties with Ethiopia grow', The Straits Times, 24 November 2025

'Who we are', Repi Wilmar, Accessed 25 November 2025

'Bilateral trade between Singapore and Ethiopia (Imports)', International Trade Centre, Accessed 25 November 2025

'Bilateral trade between Singapore and Ethiopia (Exports)', International Trade Centre, Accessed 25 November 2025

'Ascott Kazanchis Addis Ababa', The Ascott Limited, Accessed 25 November 202

'Somerset Bole Addis Ababa', The Ascott Limited, Accessed 25 November 2025