• Automatic and digital telephones, fax, internet, express mail services are available.
• Round- the clock -hydro electric power supply is available.
• Hydroelectric project that is expected to generate 300 MW is under construction.
• Water supply has been made available in major towns.
• Availability of banking and insurance companies
  
  • Government banks and insurance companies
  
  o Commercial bank of Ethiopia with its eleven branches
  o Development bank of Ethiopia
  o Construction and business bank
  o Ethiopian insurance corporation
  
  • Private banks and insurance companies
  
  o Dashen bank with its three branches
  o Wegagen bank with three branches
  o Abyssinia bank
  o Nyala insurance
  o Nile insurance
  o United insurance
  o Africa insurance
  
• Higher Institutions
  
  • Government
  
  o Mekelle University with five faculties
  o Maichew Technical College
  o Mekelle Nursing School
  o Abi- Adi Teachers College
  o Agricultural Colleges
  
  • Private
  
  o New Millennium College
  o Sheba info-tech College
  o Admass College
  o Nile College
  o Tigrai College
  o Mekelle Institute of Technology
  o Dembosco Vocational School
  o Poly Technique Institute
  o Merha Tibeb Technical Training center
  o Computer training centers
  
• Health services
  
  • Governmental institutions
  
  o Referral hospital
  o 12 zonal and junior hospitals
  o 29 health centers
  o 161 health clinics
  o 103 health posts
  
  • 8 NGO clinics
  
  • Private institutions
  
  o Two junior hospitals
  o Higher clinic
  
  

AGRICULTURE
The economy of the region, like the economy of the nation, is based on agriculture. The region is suitable for crops such as sorghum, sesame, cotton, barley, wheat, teff, and the likes. A considerable amount of incense and wild gum potential do exist in the region. Reports indicate that there are 20,000 and, 100,000 hectares of land suitable for wild gum and incense plantation respectively. The region has as well wide opportunities for the livestock development.
The estimated livestock population (BOANR-1997) of the region is: 3,040,760 Cattle, 935,349 Sheep, 1,465,741 Goats, 303,412 Donkeys, 5,111 Horses, 13,661 Camel and 10,417 mules that account 11% of the countries total livestock population.
Dairy products, fattening and meat processing, leather and leather products, animal feed processing, bee keeping and honey processing, poultry, plantation of incense and resin, rental of agricultural inputs are some areas of investment opportunities investors can benefit from.

MINING
There is an attractive opportunity for investment in this sector. Mineral exploration works so far conducted have indicated that:
o Metallic minerals (such as Gold, Copper, Zinc, Lead, Iron, Nickel).
o Industrial minerals (such as Silicasand, Kaolin, Graphite, Limestone, and Gypsum).
o Deposit of dimension stones (such as Marble, Granite, Greenstone, Limestone and Slate).
o Gemstones (such as Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony) are abundantly available in our region.

TOURISM
Tigrai is the heart of historic sites. It is one of the cradles of the country’s ancient civilization. Aksumite civilization was one of the greatest and earliest civilizations in the world. Early Christianity had its first seeds here. Aksum also played a significant role in the transformation of Islam and takes pride in being the first home of the two most important religions of the world. Some of the most important remarkable architectural land marks and fabulous works of art represent the dazzling history: the obelisks at Aksum, the rock hewn churches and monasteries, murals, parchment paintings, unique alphabet, mosques (like Ahmed –Al- Negashi), religious rituals etc.
Even the landscapes of Tigrai are by themselves tourist attractions: the mountains of Adwa, Gheralta, Ambalage, Gira Kahsu, etc and other similar ones are the objects of natural wonder. The people’s traditional song and dances, the religious ceremony and rituals and lifestyle of the indigenous peoples are also worth seeing. In general given the immense wealth of tourism, however, the demand for more services is far from being satisfied. Tigrai, being “an open air museum”, needs more hotels, loges, restaurants, tour operators and catering institutions

MANUFACTURING
The present state of industrial development in the region is at low level but when we see the availability of raw materials and market of industrial products, there are still ample opportunities for investors to consider in the manufacturing sector. The office of industry and trade has 100 project profiles to be given to private investors upon request.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION
It is known that the presence of health and education services contributes to the stability of work force and improvement of productivity. But in light of the expanding population of the region, there is a gap in health and education services that could be filled by the private sector

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to the above-mentioned opportunities investors can participate in the following services:

• Leasing of capital goods
• Construction
• Entertainments
  
  o Gymnasium
  o Cinema halls
  o Park
• Waste disposal
• Consultancy

ACTUAL INVESTMENT ACTIVITY
The number of private investment projects licensed from September 1993—June 2003 has reached 521.These projects have planned total initial investment capital of birr 4.5 billion. Upon completion, the projects are expected to generate new employment opportunities to about 26,765 people on a permanent basis. Out of the total licensed projects 4 are foreign investments with a total capital of 267,325,307.00 million birr. Of all the licensed projects 62% have become operational.

*322 of the projects have already become operational