Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), marking the completion of Africa’s largest hydroelectric project with a full installed capacity of 5,150 MW.
Located in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, GERD is set to position Ethiopia as a major power exporter in Eastern Africa through planned cross-border interconnections. The USD5 billion project has undergone phased commissioning since 2022 and is expected to significantly boost domestic electrification while enabling large-scale electricity exports to neighbouring countries. Notably, 91 per cent of the project financing was secured from domestic sources, including state funds, bond sales, and citizen contributions.