Since its outbreak in China in November 2019 and advanced across the world within a few months, covid-19 is challenging the world’s economy in many ways which will result in multi-dimensional poverty with unprecedented crisis in the world in general and in Ethiopia in particular. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of this pandemic on the private owned firms’ income, employment and society's livelihood in general in case of Jinka town, Ethiopia. In addition to the secondary data that is collected through the review of different scholars' literature from different sources primary data has collected through survey methods from the randomly selected target group from the case study area. Drawing on a survey of 193 from a total of 3492 private businesses from in Jinka town, this paper provides insight into the economic impact of corona virus (covid-19) on privately owned businesses. The survey showed how the operation is affected for almost all businesses, due to decreased demand and movement restrictions that are increasing transportation costs and hindering access to affordable inputs as well as reduced orders. The average expenditure of enterprises is 17027.74 Birr before the pandemic and it is 11752.2 Birr after the pandemic.Reduction in expenditure of the enterprises has an implication of reducing employment because majority of expenditures of private sectors come from employment salary. Similarly, income of the sectors also reduced due to the pandemic on average from 22,234.7 Birr to 11,273.54 Birr and the total income loss of the sector is 38,276,370.72 Birr in Jinka town.
Keywords: Covid-19, Economic impact, Pandemic, Jinka town, MSE