Alfarag Duty Free has opened two renovated stores at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport’s Terminal 2. The two stores cover 1,200m² and are the largest duty-free store in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa is a key hub airport: it has routes to more than 130 airports globally because of the significance of Ethiopian Airlines as a hub carrier.

In 2024 an estimated 12.1m passengers used Addis Ababa, narrowly behind OR Tambo in South Africa (12.27m passengers) and compared to the largest airport in Africa, Cairo (18.7m passengers). But Addis Ababa is a high growth airport which only achieved 10m passengers in 2019. In September 2024 the government approved plans for a $5m airport capable of handling 100m passengers by 2029.

Alfarag has operated duty-free stores at the airport since 2003. The new Alfarag stores carry a range of premium international brands and will be a valuable source of fx for the company, which is also a major FMCG and luxury goods distributor in Ethiopia (Alfarag Trading) for companies including Mars, Kellogg’s, Dabur and Groupe SEB. Alfarag also operates the retail franchise for Adidas and Clarks shoes in the country.

In addition, Alfarag owns a network of (duty-paid) retail stores across Ethiopia selling international brands of perfumes, watches, eyewear, and clothing.