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Economy & Resources

Economic Overview (2024)

Gross Regional Product: $3.2 billion (down from $4.8B in 2019)
Per Capita Income: $451 (down from $615 in 2019)
Unemployment Rate: 23.4% (up from 8.1% in 2019)
Poverty Rate: 38.2% (up from 22.1% in 2019)
Economic Growth: -1.2% (2024), recovering from -45% (2021)

1. Economic Structure

1.1 GDP by Sector (Pre-war vs Post-war)

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1.2 Employment Distribution

Sector Pre-war (2019) Current (2024) Change Notes
Agriculture 68% 55% -13% Reduced farmland access
Services 18% 25% +7% Humanitarian, reconstruction
Industry 8% 5% -3% Factory closures, looting
Trade/Commerce 6% 15% +9% Informal cross-border trade

2. Agriculture

2.1 Agricultural Production

Tigray's economy has traditionally been dominated by agriculture, but the 2020-2022 war severely disrupted production.

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2.2 Livestock

Livestock 2019 Count 2024 Count Change Value (2024)
Cattle 3.2 million 1.8 million -44% $720 million
Sheep 2.1 million 1.3 million -38% $195 million
Goats 1.8 million 1.1 million -39% $110 million
Poultry 8.9 million 4.2 million -53% $84 million
Camels 45,000 28,000 -38% $42 million
Donkeys 285,000 198,000 -31% $19.8 million

War Impact on Agriculture

  • 40% of farmland abandoned during conflict (2020-2022)
  • 65% of agricultural equipment destroyed or looted
  • 58% of seed stock lost or destroyed
  • 73% of livestock killed, stolen, or died from neglect
  • 85% of irrigation systems damaged or non-functional

3. Industry & Mining

3.1 Industrial Sector

Pre-war, Tigray had a developing industrial base, particularly around Mekelle and other urban centers.

Manufacturing Facilities

Industry Type Pre-war (2019) Operational (2024) Employment (2024)
Textiles 18 factories 6 factories 2,400 jobs
Food Processing 24 facilities 12 facilities 3,800 jobs
Construction Materials 15 plants 7 plants 1,900 jobs
Pharmaceuticals 3 factories 1 factory 450 jobs
Metal Works 12 shops 5 shops 680 jobs
Leather & Shoes 8 factories 2 factories 320 jobs 
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3.2 Mining Resources

Tigray possesses significant mineral wealth, though exploitation remains limited.

Major Mineral Deposits

Mineral Location Estimated Reserves Status Export Potential
Gold Shire, Tahtay Adiyabo 15.2 tonnes proven Limited extraction High
Salt Afar lowlands Extensive deposits Traditional mining Medium
Iron Ore Togoga 8.5 million tonnes Unexploited High
Tantalum Adwa area 2,400 tonnes Small-scale mining High
Feldspar Various locations Large deposits Limited extraction Medium 
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4. Trade & Commerce

4.1 Pre-war Exports (2019)

Product Value (USD million) Destination Share of Total
Sesame 425 China, Turkey, Japan 42.5%
Livestock 186 Saudi Arabia, UAE 18.6%
Coffee 89 Germany, USA, Japan 8.9%
Leather & Hides 67 Italy, China 6.7%
Gold 54 UAE, Switzerland 5.4%
Pulse crops 43 India, Turkey 4.3%
Other 136 Various 13.6%

4.2 Current Trade Status (2024)

Trade Disruption

  • Total exports: $189 million (down 81% from $1.0B in 2019)
  • Main export route: Via Djibouti (limited capacity)
  • Border closures: Eritrea (ongoing), Sudan (security issues)
  • Infrastructure: 65% of roads damaged, Tekeze bridge rebuilt (2025)
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5. Financial Sector

5.1 Banking Infrastructure

Bank Branches (2019) Operational (2024) Services Available
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia 89 42 Basic banking, loans
Dashen Bank 23 12 Commercial banking
Bank of Abyssinia 18 8 Personal banking
Awash Bank 15 7 Business banking
Cooperative Bank 12 6 Rural finance
Other private banks 28 13 Various services

5.2 Microfinance & Cooperatives

  • Microfinance Institutions: 15 (down from 28 pre-war)
  • Active borrowers: 186,000 (down from 425,000 in 2019)
  • Average loan size: $145
  • Repayment rate: 78% (down from 92% pre-war)
  • Agricultural cooperatives: 1,240 (down from 2,150)

6. Infrastructure Economics

6.1 Transportation Infrastructure

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      {"infrastructure": "Airports", "pre_war": 100, "current": 33, "unit": "% operational"},
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6.2 Energy Infrastructure

Energy Source Capacity (MW) Operational (2024) Population Served
Hydroelectric 2,300 1,150 45%
Grid Connection - 62% 4.4 million
Solar (off-grid) 45 28 280,000
Biomass/Traditional - - 85% rural

7. Economic Recovery Plans

7.1 Government Recovery Strategy (2024-2027)

Priority Sectors for Recovery

  • Seed distribution: $45 million program
  • Irrigation rehabilitation: 15,000 hectares
  • Livestock restocking: 500,000 animals
  • Extension services: Train 2,500 agents
  • Target: Return to 80% of pre-war production by 2027
  • Factory rehabilitation: $125 million investment
  • SME support: Loans for 5,000 businesses
  • Skills training: 25,000 people
  • Infrastructure: Restore power, water, roads
  • Target: 60% of pre-war industrial capacity by 2026
  • Border facilitation: Improve customs procedures
  • Transport corridors: Rehabilitate key roads
  • Market infrastructure: Rebuild 50 markets
  • Export promotion: Support 200 exporters
  • Target: $500 million in exports by 2026

7.2 International Support

Donor/Organization Commitment (USD) Focus Area Timeline
World Bank $450 million Infrastructure, agriculture 2024-2027
EU $280 million Humanitarian, recovery 2024-2026
USAID $195 million Health, education, agriculture 2024-2025
UN Agencies $340 million Humanitarian, development 2024-2026
African Development Bank $125 million Infrastructure 2024-2028

8. Economic Challenges

8.1 Key Constraints

Major Economic Challenges

  1. Infrastructure Destruction:
  2. $2.1 billion in damaged infrastructure
  3. Limited power generation (50% capacity)

  4. Poor road connectivity

  5. Human Capital Loss:

  6. 450,000 skilled workers displaced
  7. Brain drain to other regions/countries

  8. Disrupted education system

  9. Access to Finance:

  10. Limited banking services (47% coverage)
  11. High interest rates (18-22%)

  12. Collateral requirements difficult to meet

  13. Market Access:

  14. Border closures limiting trade
  15. High transportation costs
  16. Limited export diversification

8.2 Economic Indicators Comparison

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Data Downloads

Available Economic Data

Access All Economic Data

Sources: Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency (2024), Tigray Bureau of Finance and Economic Development (2024), World Bank Tigray Recovery Report (2024), African Development Bank (2024), UNDP Human Development Report (2024)