Ethiopia’s construction market is valued at $67 billion, driven by the country’s economic growth priorities under its Ten-Year Development Plan 2020-30 (Source: ABiQ). Supporting this ambition, the 2025 edition of Big 5 Construct Ethiopia, the country’s largest construction event, will take place from 26-28 June at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa. Endorsed by the Ministry of Urban & Infrastructure, the event connects international companies with regional opportunities, enabling business networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Co-located with Big 5 Construct Ethiopia, the inaugural East Africa Infrastructure & Water Expo, broadens the event’s impact by engaging government representatives, utilities service providers, regulators and public project owners. This expanded focus strengthens regional cooperation and supports critical infrastructure development across East Africa.
This comes at a time, as Ethiopia accelerates investment in transformative projects across transport, water, power and ICT. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Mesob Tower, airport expansions and major expressway projects are some of the region’s mega projects and modernisation initiatives. From residential properties to logistics hubs, Ethiopia’s pipeline of multi-billion-dollar projects, including the $1.5 billion La Gare urban redevelopment and the $7.8 billion Abusera International Airport, is attracting growing interest from construction firms, material suppliers and technology providers.
“The launch of East Africa Infrastructure & Water Expo alongside Big 5 Construct Ethiopia supports Ethiopia’s development vision by enabling the exchange of expertise, technology and investment,” said Josine Heijmans, Senior Vice President – Construction, dmg events. “With Ethiopia’s infrastructure market valued at $395 billion, these events allow international companies to form strategic partnerships with Ethiopian and East African stakeholders, enabling knowledge exchange and creating opportunities to realise some of the region’s construction and infrastructure goals (Source: ABiQ).”
International exhibitors and country pavilions
The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to engage with over 230 exhibitors, including international and local brands that will showcase high-quality products, materials and technologies tailored to Ethiopia’s growing construction and infrastructure demands. Some of these include Jotun and Asian Paint, known for durable coatings and finishes; NAFFCO, a leader in firefighting equipment, fire protection, alarm and safety systems; USG, manufacturer of interior construction products; Emirates National Copper Factory, an electrical and construction-grade copper solutions provider; and SCAFFCO, a recognized major player providing efficient scaffolding and formwork solutions.
The event also welcomes first-time exhibitors such as Signify (Philips Lighting), known for high-quality, energy-efficient lighting solutions; Thomsun Industries, a brand in the building materials sector; and Bitumat, a manufacturer of advanced waterproofing and roofing solutions; further expanding the range of solutions on display and the growing demand in the sector.
Country pavilions from Germany, Türkiye, China, Italy and India, among others, highlight rising international interest in the market. Across Big 5 Construct Ethiopia, exhibitors will cover sectors such as Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Services, building materials, construction tools & personal protection equipment, heavy construction equipment, digital construction and more. Meanwhile, East Africa Infrastructure & Water Expo will spotlight solutions in smart cities, urban mobility, waste and water management, power and communications infrastructure.
Knowledge sharing and CPD-certified talks
Big 5 Construct Ethiopia and East Africa Infrastructure & Water Expo feature CPD-certified talks and practical sessions focused on regional priorities, offering valuable opportunities to learn, connect with decision-makers and engage with government entities and industry leaders. Big 5 Talks will cover sessions on architecture and design, project management, technology and sustainable building materials. New themed programmes, Infra360 and Water360, will explore practical solutions to East Africa’s infrastructure and water challenges, from smart systems and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to resource-efficient technologies and urban resilience.
East Africa Infrastructure & Water Summit, a premium, invite-only programme, will convene policymakers, project owners and technical experts to explore unique strategies and infrastructure development pathways for the region. “Urbanisation across Ethiopia and the wider East African region is creating new business opportunities at an unprecedented pace. Big 5 Construct Ethiopia alongside the East Africa Infrastructure & Water Expo, will support and accelerate this growth,” concluded Heijmans.
Registration for the free-to-attend events is now open for trade and industry professionals over 18. For more information, visit www.big5constructethiopia.com | www.eastafricainfrastructureexpo.com
