Ethiopia is set to ban all construction professionals who lack official competency certification from participating in any building and infrastructure projects across the country. The Ministry of Urban Development and Infrastructure (MUDI) announced the upcoming mandatory regulation as part of a sweeping effort to standardize the industry, enhance safety, and verify the technical skills of workers entering the sector.
According to State Minister for Urban Development and Infrastructure, Yitmgheta Asrat, the new framework will become fully compulsory through a phased implementation strategy. The regulation will apply universally to all levels of the workforce, requiring everyone from entry-level laborers to senior engineers to undergo formal training and pass through an official certification system before deployment.
To ensure the success and smooth execution of the initiative, MUDI is actively collaborating with the Ministry of Labor and Skills. Joint efforts are currently focused on designing curriculum frameworks, establishing standardized testing metrics, and aligning vocational training centers with the new industry requirements.
Government officials emphasized that necessary preparatory work is underway to create a conducive environment for stakeholders before strict legal enforcement begins. While authorities acknowledge that achieving full, nationwide compliance across all tiers of the sector is a complex process that may take several years, practical implementation steps have already commenced.
The state-owned Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) reported that this initiative aims to curb substandard project execution and improve structural safety by eliminating informal, unqualified labor. Stakeholders view the move as a critical milestone toward modernizing Ethiopia’s rapidly growing construction and infrastructure landscape.