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Fintech, ICT & Data Privacy

Overview

At DABLO Law Firm, we lead Ethiopia’s digital transformation by guiding clients through the complex intersection of finance, technology, and data governance. Our FinTech, ICT, and Data Privacy practice supports innovators, disruptors, and established players navigating Ethiopia’s evolving digital finance and information systems regulations.

As the financial sector liberalizes and technology advances, new regulatory frameworks emerge. We deliver tailored solutions that balance compliance with strategy, scalability, and risk management. Whether launching digital products, partnering with local banks, or ensuring data privacy aligns with global standards, we bring clarity and confidence to every project.

Our clients value our technical precision and strategic foresight. We help fintech startups, payment service providers, and digital lenders secure licensing, form partnerships, and obtain regulatory approvals—bridging innovation with regulation to turn ambition into actionable legal success.

Work Highlights

  • Facilitated the incorporation of a technology company supporting financial institutions through digital infrastructure and innovation, including microfinance organizations.
  • Advised multiple fintech platforms entering the Ethiopian market on licensing strategies, contractual frameworks, and compliance with digital financial service directives.
  • Provided regulatory guidance to a foreign fintech company forming strategic partnerships with local banks and microfinance providers.
  • Developed a comprehensive legal guide for a publicly listed AI and analytics company to align its fintech solutions with Ethiopian regulatory requirements.
  • Prepared an ICT, data, and cybersecurity compliance guide for Afriwise  platform.
  • Contributed to a global data compliance platform’s analysis of Ethiopia’s inaugural personal data protection law, framing its application in the context of the EU GDPR.
  • Delivered GDPR-aligned data protection assessments and compliance guidance to fintech firms handling sensitive customer information.
  • Advised on ESG-aligned fintech implementation, including compliance with Ethiopia’s new Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Proclamation.
  • Supported a digital wallet and payment service provider in preparing licensing applications and aligning governance documents with AML/CFT and data protection laws.
  • Conducted legal feasibility studies for digital lending platforms and crypto-related services under Ethiopia’s evolving regulatory regime.
  • Provided legal counsel on cross-border procurement of fintech software licenses and IT infrastructure agreements.
  • Assisted in structuring offshore employee savings schemes for digital finance companies, addressing capital account restrictions and labor law implications.

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