Monday, 25 May 2026
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is considered Africa's largest hydroelectric project (Amanuel SILESHI) AFP
Ethiopia’s Nile dam ‘completed,’ says prime minister
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Thursday that Ethiopia’s multi-billion-dollar hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile—a project that has long sparked concern among neighboring countries—has been completed and will be officially inaugurated in September, according to AFP.
Known as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the $4-billion undertaking began in 2011 and is hailed as Africa’s largest hydroelectric plant. Spanning 1.8 kilometers (over a mile) and soaring 145 meters (475 feet) high, GERD stands as a colossal symbol of national ambition.
Addis Ababa maintains that the dam is crucial to its electrification efforts. However, the project has escalated tensions with Egypt and Sudan, who fear it might threaten their access to vital Nile waters.
In his address to parliament, Abiy confirmed, “GERD is now complete, and we are preparing for its official inauguration.”
“Our message to our downstream neighbors, Egypt and Sudan, is straightforward: the Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity,” he emphasized.
“The energy and development it will spur won’t benefit Ethiopia alone.”
Located in Ethiopia’s northwest, about 30 kilometers from the Sudanese border, the dam began generating electricity in February 2022. Once fully operational, GERD will hold up to 74 billion cubic meters of water and is expected to produce more than 5,000 megawatts of power—more than doubling the country’s current electricity generation.
With an estimated population of 130 million, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa and faces fast-growing electricity demands. According to recent World Bank estimates, roughly half of Ethiopians still lack access to electricity.
Despite its promise, GERD has been a longstanding source of dispute in the region. Egypt and Sudan have expressed concerns about the dam’s unilateral operation, warning it could jeopardize their Nile water supplies. Years of negotiations have failed to yield a resolution.
Egypt, which is already grappling with severe water shortages and depends on the Nile for 97 per cent of its water, views the dam as a potential existential threat.
Earlier this week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with Sudanese de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Both leaders reiterated their opposition to unilateral actions in the Blue Nile Basin and reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the region’s water security, according to a statement from Sisi’s office.
Prime Minister Abiy, however, insisted that Ethiopia is open to constructive engagement and that GERD will not harm Egypt or Sudan.
“We believe in shared progress, shared energy, and shared water,” he stated. “Prosperity for one should translate into prosperity for all.”