Five guides on the parts of importing from China to Ethiopia that actually cost people money. Everything here is sourced, dated, and honest about what we could not verify — because in this subject a confident wrong answer is worse than no answer.
How Ethiopian import duty actually works
The real cascade — customs duty, excise, VAT, surtax or social welfare levy, withholding — with worked examples and the two mistakes almost every online calculator makes.
The bank permit and the foreign currency, explained
How an Ethiopian importer actually gets an import permit and the dollars to pay for a shipment in 2026 — after the float, and after the May 2026 franco valuta reform that closed the door on most traders.
Factory or trader? Verifying a Chinese supplier
How to read a Chinese business licence, check a company on the government register, tell a real factory from a middleman, and defend against the payment-redirection scam that takes most of the money.
Incoterms, for the person who actually pays the bill
EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and the rest — where risk transfers, who insures, and why the term you agree changes the duty you pay in Ethiopia.
What needs a permit to enter Ethiopia
Which goods are prohibited, which need a permit and from which agency, and the pre-export certificate of conformity your Chinese supplier must obtain before the goods ship.