The enactment of the Commercial Code of Ethiopia, Proclamation No. 1243/2021, represents the most significant overhaul of Ethiopian corporate law in more than sixty years. The previous Commercial Code of 1960, though a remarkable legislative achievement of its era, was drafted for a nascent commercial economy and had become increasingly inadequate for the complex shareholder relationships, joint ventures, and corporate governance structures that characterise modern Ethiopian business. The 2021 Code introduces, for the first time in Ethiopian legal history, a coherent framework for resolving shareholder disputes — including formal recognition of derivative actions, codified minority shareholder protections, buy-out remedies, and a new Supervisory Board mechanism that empowers shareholders to exercise oversight independently of the Board of Directors. For practitioners, investors, and business owners alike, understanding these provisions is no longer optional; it is essential to
