Open data initiatives have gained traction as a tool for enhancing transparency in governance across various countries. In Ethiopia, these initiatives are particularly relevant given the country's efforts towards digitalization and e-government reforms. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of government open data availability with qualitative insights from interviews with policymakers and practitioners. Quantitative data is analysed using descriptive statistics to assess the frequency and quality of disclosed information. Findings indicate that while there has been an increase in publicly available datasets, their comprehensiveness varies significantly across different sectors, with health care having the highest proportion of open data (85%) compared to education at 40%. This variation suggests room for improvement in sector-specific transparency efforts. The study concludes that while Ethiopia has made strides in promoting open data, there remains a need for more comprehensive and consistent implementation across all sectors to fully realise its potential in enhancing governance and accountability. Policymakers are recommended to develop a national strategy for open data dissemination, focusing on increasing the scope of available datasets and improving their accessibility. Additionally, capacity building initiatives should be enhanced to support effective use of open data by stakeholders. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.