Ethiopia’s export revenues rose 43% to $8.71 billion in the first ten months of the current fiscal year, beating the government’s $7.25 billion target by more than $1 billion, Trade and Regional Integration Minister Kasahun Gofe said.

The result compares with $6.08 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier, according to the ministry.

Kasahun said the performance reflects structural policy changes across the trade sector, including closer coordination between exporters, development partners and industry actors.

Ethiopia officially began trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework on Oct. 9, 2025, initiating shipments to Kenya, Somalia and South Africa.

AfCFTA connects 54 member states and a market of more than 1.4 billion people, according to the African Union.

Kasahun said the export gains signal that the government’s broader economic reform agenda is producing results. He added that the ministry will work to sustain the performance through the end of the fiscal year.

The minister also highlighted human capital development as a pillar of long‑term export sustainability, citing the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) Academy’s professional training programs as a contributor to strengthening the country’s export infrastructure.