Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Industry said it is making efforts to increase the nation’s earnings from leather footwear exports to more than $300 million in the coming five years. The statement added that the ministry also plans to fund the establishment of 74 shoe manufacturing facilities.

Leather Industry Development team leader with the ministry, Yitbarek Fantahun announced that the ministry's five-year strategic plan aims to make the country a competitive supplier of leather products to the world market and that the majority of the footwear manufactured in the five-year period would be destined for export. Under the scheme, it is hoped that over 20 million pairs of footwear will be produced during the five years.

Under the plan, the ministry will not only finance the establishment of the shoe factories but will also offer training to staff through courses run by foreign experts in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in order to improve the quality and variety of the products offered. 

There are currently more than 20 tanneries in the country, which export more than 50% of their product to the foreign market.