Bank of Abyssinia

Bank of Abyssinia
Company typeCommercial bank
Founded1905 (1905)
16 February 1906 (1906-02-16) (inaugurated)
Headquarters,
Number of locations
928
Area served
Ethiopia
Zimbabwe (formerly)
Key people
  • Bekalu Zeleke (President)
Total assetsETB 218,513,875,231 (2024)
Number of employees
11575 (2024)
Websitewww.bankofabyssinia.com

The Bank of Abyssinia (Amharic: አቢሲንያ ባንክ) is a commercial bank and the oldest bank in Ethiopia. It was established in 1905 and inaugurated by Emperor Menelik II on 16 February 1906, becoming the modern bank of Ethiopia.

In 1915, the bank was the first to produce banknote with the help of British owned National Bank of Egypt. The bank then changed the name to the Bank of Ethiopia during Emperor Haile Selassie regime in 1931. After nationalization by the Derg government, the bank was re-established as one of leading private banks with share company status.