Benishangul-Gumuz Region – Ethiopia has inaugurated the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, designed to generate more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity—more than double the country’s current capacity. The $4 billion dam, funded mostly by the Ethiopian government and contributions from citizens, stretches nearly two kilometres across the Blue Nile in the Guba district near the Sudanese border.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the dam as a transformative project for Ethiopia and the wider region, saying it aims to electrify industries and communities across East Africa. Kenyan President William Ruto, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and African Union Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf attended the inauguration.
The project, which began in 2011 and employed over 25,000 workers, has sparked tensions with downstream countries, particularly Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 97 percent of its water needs. Egyptian authorities have voiced concerns that GERD could reduce water flow during droughts and have called for legally binding agreements on the dam’s operation. Sudan has supported such agreements but could also benefit from flood management and cheaper energy access.
Ethiopia maintains that the dam is a sovereign development project and says it will not significantly harm downstream nations. Independent research indicates that careful filling of the reservoir and favourable rainfall have so far prevented major disruptions to Nile flow.
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