Ethiopia's Central Bank Changes Guard as Eyob Tekalign Takes the Mantle
BaseLine Team
19 Sep, 2025
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Eyob Tekalign (PhD) as the new Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia.
Replacing Mamo Mihretu, Eyob becomes the 11th central bank governor at a critical moment, where he will face pressure to steer monetary policy in line with the government’s political priorities.
A political economist with over 18 years of experience, Eyob brings both international credibility and domestic policymaking chops.
He has been the state minister for Finance until this appointment, has advised Ethiopian governors at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, consulted for Fortune 500 companies, managed the Public-Private Consultative Forum, and worked with organizations such as UNECA, COMESA, UNCTAD, and IFC - International Finance Corporation.
He also served as a director at SGI Frontier Capital, a U.S. investment firm focused on frontier markets.
Insiders say his global exposure and fluency in the language of lenders may help Ethiopia rebuild market confidence and smooth negotiations with international creditors.
