Fana Media reports Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has outlined the National Precious Metals Refinery's potential to position Ethiopia as a major centre for precious-metals refining in Africa: the facility is designed to process more than 600 tonnes annually and could support exports valued at up to $80 billion a year. Speaking at the refinery in the Bole Lemi Special Economic Zone, Abiy stressed the figure represents potential export capacity, not a guaranteed value — it depends on how much gold and other precious metal the plant can attract and process.
The refinery — a partnership between Ethiopian Investment Holdings (51 percent) and Sam Precious Metals (49 percent) — is designed to assay, refine and cast gold into export-ready bullion, and to produce cast and minted gold and silver bars, with Ethiopian Airlines' network seen as an advantage in drawing metal from across the region for processing, certification and sale within Africa.
