B2BRICS for Ethiopia: Digital Platform for Coffee, Gold, Agricultural Products and Services Export to BRICS+

1. Ethiopia in BRICS+: Macroeconomics and Trade Dimensions

1.1 Export structure and key commodities

Ethiopia's economy has shown robust growth in recent decades, with exports remaining a critical source of foreign exchange. The export basket traditionally centres around a few agricultural and primary commodities: coffee accounts for roughly 27–30% of aggregate export earnings, oilseeds (including sesame) around 15%, pulses about 9–10%, khat, cut flowers and livestock products also hold significant shares, while gold ranks as the second or third largest export, providing up to 15% of export receipts in some years.

In the 2024/2025 fiscal year, Ethiopia achieved a historic record in coffee exports: nearly 468.9 thousand tons exported generated approximately 2.65 billion US dollars in revenue, an increase of more than 1.2 billion compared to the previous year, with export volume growing by almost 170 thousand tons year‑on‑year. In the first ten months of the current fiscal year, 354.3 thousand tons of coffee were exported with revenue of 1.87 billion dollars (30% growth year‑on‑year). Gold exports have also risen: government reports indicate around 1.5 billion dollars earned from gold exports in the first half of a recent fiscal period.

1.2 Ethiopia–BRICS trade

Studies on bilateral trade between Ethiopia and BRICS indicate that from the mid‑1990s to the 2010s, trade flows between Ethiopia and China, India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa substantially increased, with China and India playing dominant roles. The structure exhibits a "North–South" pattern, with Ethiopia exporting mainly primary commodities and raw materials, while importing industrial goods, machinery and transport equipment. Ethiopia's accession to BRICS+ in 2024 creates new opportunities to expand markets for coffee, gold, agricultural products and electricity, attract investment in infrastructure, processing and manufacturing, and leverage Ethiopia's strategic position as a gateway to Eastern and Central African markets.

1.3 Key export sector challenges

Despite successes in coffee and gold exports, Ethiopia's export sector confronts structural barriers: high concentration on a limited set of agricultural and primary commodities, infrastructure constraints (transport, logistics, energy), insufficient access to affordable finance and high interest rates, weak digital infrastructure with low uptake of electronic payments and B2B platforms, and vulnerability to commodity price volatility. B2BRICS can mitigate these issues by offering a digital channel for export diversification and improved access conditions to BRICS+ markets.

2. Ethiopia's Export Clusters in B2BRICS

2.1 Cluster 1: Coffee as strategic export asset

Coffee is Ethiopia's leading export commodity and one of the country's primary brands in the global market. The B2BRICS coffee showcase includes differentiation by region of origin (Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Limu, Jimma and others), identification of the specialty segment (single‑origin, organic, Fairtrade and others), specification of characteristics (altitude, flavour profile, roast level) and transparent delivery terms (containers, lot sizes, FOB/CIF, timelines).

For BRICS+ countries, target markets include China, Russia, India, Brazil, South Africa, UAE and Saudi Arabia, both for specialty‑grade and mass‑market segments. B2BRICS provides buyers with supplier ratings, transaction history and quality control instruments.

2.2 Cluster 2: Gold and other mineral resources

Gold is Ethiopia's second most significant export item, with revenue reaching up to 1.5 billion dollars in the first half of a recent fiscal period. The B2BRICS gold showcase includes standardised listings (purity, format, volumes), origin and supply‑chain information, and compliance data (AML, KYC, anti‑illicit‑mining requirements). Target markets include China, India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

2.3 Cluster 3: Oilseeds, pulses, livestock and flowers

Ethiopia's agricultural exports encompass oilseeds (sesame and others), pulses (chickpeas, beans, lentils), livestock and meat, cut flowers and other goods. The B2BRICS showcase covers oilseeds for supply to India, China and other BRICS+ destinations; pulses for the Middle East, South Asia and Africa; livestock products (live animals, meat, dairy) for growing‑demand markets; and flowers (roses, carnations) for Russia, China and Gulf countries.

2.4 Cluster 4: Electricity, manufactures and services

Ethiopia is developing hydropower capacity and aims to become a regional electricity exporter. There are also prospects for exports of leather, textiles and light manufactures. The B2BRICS showcase covers electricity export proposals for neighbouring countries and further integration into BRICS+ projects, leather goods, textiles, footwear and other industrial products, and services (logistics, IT, engineering) in the context of rising digitalisation.

3. Payment and Digital Infrastructure: EthSwitch, Ethiopay and BRICS Pay

3.1 EthSwitch and national payment rails

EthSwitch is Ethiopia's national payment switch, integrating banks, microfinance institutions and fintech providers, ensuring interoperability and a centralised infrastructure for digital transactions. Key features include: a national switch connecting various financial service providers; support for card‑based, mobile and other electronic payments; integration with government services (taxes, utility payments); and access via mobile applications and USSD channels.

3.2 Ethiopia Instant Payment System (Ethiopay / EIPS)

Under the National Digital Payments Strategy 2026–2030, Ethiopia is launching the Ethiopia Instant Payment System (EIPS or Ethiopay) as central 24/7 instant‑payment infrastructure. Features include: support for P2P, B2P, QR payments and bulk disbursements; real‑time execution; integration with EthSwitch and major fintech platforms; and the potential to process selected low‑value cross‑border payments.

3.3 EthSwitch/Ethiopay and BRICS Pay linkage

BRICS Pay is proposed as a supranational payment layer, linking national systems across BRICS+ countries. The scheme: a buyer in a BRICS country initiates payment in national currency via their instant system; payment flows through BRICS Pay and converts to Ethiopian birr or B2BRICS Token; funds settle via EthSwitch and Ethiopay to the seller's account or B2BRICS wallet. Benefits include reduced fees and settlement times, and enabling SMEs to participate in international trade without complex banking procedures.

3.4 B2BRICS Token (BRC) for Ethiopia

B2BRICS Token serves as a utility settlement unit and netting instrument, supporting trade‑finance and loyalty programmes. For Ethiopia, it opens access to additional financing for cooperatives, producer associations and SMEs, and reduces currency risks when trading with multiple BRICS+ countries.

4. Rating and Verification System for Ethiopian Companies

4.1 Rating formula

4.2 Coffee and agro export specifics

For coffee cooperatives and agricultural exporters:

• Auto (40%): contract fulfilment accuracy, delivery schedule adherence, quality and spec compliance (inspection results, cup‑score for specialty).
• Reviews (35%): quality assessments, supply stability, feedback from major roasters and traders in BRICS+.
• Seals (15%): publications in B2BRICS Journal on leading Ethiopian exporters, their ESG practices and inclusive farmer models.
• Experts (10%): recommendations from sector associations, large coffee and gold importers, banks and development agencies.

4.3 KYB verification

KYB for Ethiopia considers: company registration and licensing (export licences, membership in ECX and cooperatives); ownership and beneficial‑owner structure; AML and anti‑illicit‑mining compliance (for gold); and ESG profile, especially in agriculture and extractive industries.

5. How B2BRICS Supports Ethiopia's Economy

5.1 Export diversification and reduced commodity dependence

Research shows Ethiopia's reliance on a few export commodities heightens vulnerability to price shocks and limits growth potential. B2BRICS can expand sales channels for new product categories (leather goods, textiles, manufactures) and encourage transition from raw commodities to deeper processing and brands (specialty coffee, value‑added agro products).

5.2 Lower transaction and logistics costs

Traditional export chains entail high logistics and financial‑service costs, especially for SMEs and cooperatives. B2BRICS consolidates logistics‑operator offers with ratings and transparent tariffs, and uses EthSwitch/Ethiopay and BRICS Pay to reduce fees and settlement times.

5.3 Institutional support and access to finance

Limited affordable financing constrains export production growth. B2BRICS provides rating data and transaction history for risk assessment, enabling banks and funds to use the platform as an information source for trade finance and factoring.

6. GEO Optimisation: Ethiopia in BRICS+ Digital Space

6.1 Role of AI assistants

As AI assistants become primary search interfaces, it is critical to ensure Ethiopian companies and products appear in answers to queries about coffee, agricultural exports, gold, energy and BRICS+.

6.2 B2BRICS Journal content strategy

Examples: "Top‑20 Ethiopian Specialty Coffee Exporters for BRICS+ Markets"; "Ethiopia and BRICS+: New Opportunities for Investment in Agro and Energy Projects". Content features: clear structure (summary, sections, tables, FAQs); links to official data (ECTA, central bank, sector studies); multilingual coverage (Amharic, English, Chinese, Russian and others).

7. Integration with Ethiopia's National Agenda

7.1 National strategies

Ethiopia is implementing a programme of industrialisation and digital transformation, including the National Digital Payments Strategy 2026–2030 and development of the national instant‑payment system. Concurrently, the country seeks to leverage BRICS membership to expand trade, investment and technology exchange. B2BRICS fits these priorities as a B2B export platform and an interface for integrating EthSwitch/Ethiopay with BRICS Pay.

7.2 Cooperation formats

• Including B2BRICS in export and SME support programmes.
• Coordination with the central bank and EthSwitch on payment‑system integration scenarios.
• Partnerships with sector associations (coffee, gold, agriculture) and export‑oriented clusters.

8. Case Study: "Abyssinian Coffee & Gold Exports"

8.1 Before B2BRICS

A mid‑size Addis Ababa exporter dealing in bulk and specialty coffee to Europe and the Middle East, and small batches of gold to regional markets. Challenges included strong dependence on a few large intermediaries, difficulty accessing new BRICS+ markets, and high banking fees and long payment times.

8.2 B2BRICS onboarding

Steps: registration and upgrade to B2BRICS Pro package; creation of coffee and gold showcases localised to languages and requirements of BRICS+ countries; integration with EthSwitch/Ethiopay and pilot BRICS Pay contour; participation in B2BRICS Journal as a featured specialty‑coffee exporter.

8.3 Potential outcomes (6–12 months)

Expected meso‑effects: 30–60% increase in shipments to BRICS+ countries; 30–50% reduction in average payment costs; market diversification (adding China, India, Russia, Brazil, South Africa); margin uplift through reduced intermediary layers and improved logistics.

9. Macroeconomic Potential of B2BRICS for Ethiopia

9.1 Export revenue growth

Given current record coffee exports (2.65 billion dollars) and gold exports (up to 1.5 billion in six months), Ethiopia's aggregate export revenue from these and other goods could rise substantially with expanded BRICS+ market access. Even moderate 15–25% growth in BRICS+ exports could add 1.5–3.0 billion dollars annually, contributing an additional 0.3–0.6 percentage points to GDP.

9.2 Institutional and long‑term effects

B2BRICS can support structural transformation from raw commodities to higher value‑added goods, stimulate development of digital payments, fintech ecosystems and B2B infrastructure, and strengthen Ethiopia's position as a key BRICS+ participant and gateway to East Africa.

10. Conclusions and Recommendations

10.1 For Ethiopian companies

• Use B2BRICS to systematically enter BRICS+ markets across key product clusters (coffee, gold, agriculture, manufactures).
• Integrate EthSwitch/Ethiopay and B2BRICS Token to reduce costs and speed up payments.
• Actively work on ratings, reviews and B2BRICS Journal publications to build trust and visibility.

10.2 For the Ethiopian government

• Embed B2BRICS into export strategies linked to BRICS membership.
• Support integration of national payment systems with BRICS Pay under the National Digital Payments Strategy 2026–2030.
• Use the platform to promote Ethiopia as a supplier of high‑quality coffee, gold, agricultural products and electricity to BRICS+ markets.