Addis Ababa, September 7, 2026 — The bamboo resources of Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz Regional State are increasingly being developed as an economic opportunity, as efforts to expand manufacturing and promote locally produced goods gain momentum.
Benishangul Gumuz Regional State President Ashadli Hassan said more than 160 small and medium scale industries are currently operating in the region, while efforts to expand industrial centers are continuing.
One of the enterprises contributing to the development of the region’s bamboo industry is Bamboo Star Agro Forestry Factory in Assosa. The factory produces flooring and other bamboo products by combining the region’s extensive bamboo resources with modern technology.
The factory’s owner and manager, Abebayehu Haile, said the facility had remained largely inactive for an extended period after its establishment before being revived following the launch of the “Ethiopia Tamirt” manufacturing initiative.
Abebayehu’s work reflects the growing role of women entrepreneurs and investors in Ethiopia’s manufacturing sector. As an investor and business leader, she has taken an active role in reviving and developing a locally based manufacturing enterprise, turning an underutilized industrial facility into a business focused on value addition and employment creation.
The factory’s production of bamboo flooring and other products is aimed at adding value to a resource widely available in the region while contributing to domestic manufacturing. Such production can also help reduce reliance on imported products and ease demand for foreign currency.
The factory has also created employment opportunities for local young people. Workers said the jobs had helped them improve their livelihoods and called for the expansion of similar industrial ventures to create additional employment opportunities.
The development of bamboo based manufacturing in Benishangul Gumuz highlights the potential of the region’s natural resources to support industrialization, employment creation and local value addition when combined with investment, technology and entrepreneurial leadership.
