Ethiopia has launched a new large-scale events venue. The New International Convention Center opened its doors in March 2025 in Addis Ababa.
How many attendees can the centre handle? The centre sprawls across 40 hectares. Two large halls can each accommodate 4,000 people.
Eight additional meeting spaces bring total capacity to 10,000 delegates simultaneously. In addition, the venue is also designed to host outdoor exhibitions, with capacity to welcome up to 50,000 attendees. Two amphitheatres can host performances and cultural festivals.
A full service Beyond the conference centre facilities, two on-site hotels provide 1,000 beds for visiting delegates. Dual shopping malls offer retail and dining options.
The facility includes restaurants, banks and commercial services within the complex. Parking infrastructure can reportedly accommodate thousands of vehicles. The centre sits strategically next to Lemi Park – Addis Ababa’s second-largest public square.
Building Ethiopia into a major conference destination? Ethiopian officials believe the facility will become one of East Africa’s most important conference destinations. The centre will target pan-African conferences, international conferences, trade exhibitions and corporate gatherings.
The timing aligns with something of a boom in Africa’s conference industry. Business tourism across the continent has surged as economies modernise and seek international partnerships. Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to accelerate from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.5% in 2025.
Another major venue in Ethiopia’s capital city is the African Union Commission Conference Centre. African Union Commission Conference Centre
The centre represents Ethiopia’s broader infrastructure push. The East African country has been undertaking massive infrastructure projects ranging from mega projects such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) other energy sources like wind, solar and geothermal energies among others.
