Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam was officially inaugurated. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed presided over the ceremony in Guba district, joined by Kenya’s President William Ruto, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and African Union chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a US $5bn megaproject on the Blue Nile that is set to double the country’s electricity generation capacity and reshape the energy landscape in East Africa. Standing 170 metres high and stretching nearly two kilometres across, the dam is designed to hold 74 billion cubic metres of water and generate more than 5,100MW of power making it the largest hydroelectric facility on the continent and among the biggest worldwide.
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Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Speaking at the event, Abiy described the GERD as a symbol of African self-reliance and development. “Ethiopia built the dam to prosper, to electrify the entire region and to change the history of black people,” he said, stressing that the project was never intended to harm neighbouring states.
The milestone has also reignited disputes with Egypt and Sudan, who rely heavily on Nile waters and argue that the unilateral filling and operation of GERD threaten their water security. Cairo, which draws nearly all of its freshwater from the river, has long viewed the project as an “existential threat,” with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowing to defend Egypt’s rights.
Khartoum has also voiced concern, particularly over the safety of its smaller Roseires Dam located just downstream. However, Sudanese officials have acknowledged potential benefits, such as better flood control, reduced siltation, and access to cheaper energy. Independent studies suggest that, so far, downstream flows have not been significantly disrupted due to favourable rainfall and gradual reservoir filling.
Despite years of African Union-brokered talks, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan have yet to reach a legally binding agreement on how the dam should be managed. Addis Ababa insists GERD represents a sovereign right and a shared opportunity for regional integration through electricity trade and improved water regulation.
As the turbines begin full-scale operations, the project stands as both a triumph of Ethiopian ambition and a flashpoint in one of Africa’s most sensitive geopolitical disputes offering the promise of growth while underscoring the urgent need for cooperation over the continent’s most vital river.