Ethiopian Gemstone Center 

EGC GEMS is our Addis-based gemstone laboratory and training center.

We deal mainly with opal, but also with sapphire, ruby, emerald and other precious stones. Our mission is to support capacity building and value addition in the gemstone sector.

We are the only Ethiopian vocational training center certified for gemstone training, and the only Ethiopian gemstone testing laboratory certified by the Ministry of Mines.

We analyse all the gemstones available in Ethiopia — inter alia opal, emerald, ruby and sapphire — as well as gemstones brought in from abroad. Miners and traders from all over the country come to us to get a quick check on their finds, or a technical report for those stones found valuable. Our laboratory staff is trained by seasoned Gem-A-certified laboratory technicians and has state-of-the-art equipment. 

Gemstone Business Training

We provide training for budding entrepreneurs and experts in the gemstone sector. Our training reflects the more than two decades of practical experience our founder Mr. Yitbarek Nega has in global gemstone trading.

It is hands-on and practical and lays the foundation for participants to set up business or get employment in the gemstone sector — as traders, lapidarists, jewellers or expert technicians. Moreover, it is benchmarked to international standards and can also prepare participants to get the government’s vocational Certificate of Competence for employment in the gemstone sector.

As of December 2025 we have more than 280 graduates. The training course comprises 40 hours within four weeks. Class size is limited to eight. We also provide private classes.