Ethiopia Commissions Africa’s Largest Hydropower Dam, Uniting Nation in National Pride

Ethiopia has officially commissioned the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the largest hydropower project in Africa. With an installed capacity of 5.51 gigawatts, the dam is expected to supply electricity domestically and transform Ethiopia into a net exporter of power to neighboring countries, including Kenya.

Construction of the $5 billion project began in 2011 and concluded in 2023. Despite opposition from Egypt, which relies on the Nile River for 90% of its water and argued that the dam would reduce its flow, Ethiopia successfully completed the project using domestic resources.

To fund the dam, the Ethiopian government launched “Renaissance Bonds,” encouraging contributions from citizens at home and in the diaspora. Civil servants also donated portions of their salaries. According to government reports, $21 million was raised in 2023–2024, with $10 million coming from Ethiopians living abroad.

The dam has also drawn support from Ethiopia’s historically marginalized Somali Region. Abdifatah Hussein Abdi, a regional MP, reportedly contributed 3–4% of his salary over a decade toward the GERD. In 2014, the Ethiopian-Somali community in Stockholm organized a fundraising event, with Mustafa Mohammed, then-acting president of the Somali Region, affirming local support.

Observers note that the GERD has become a unifying symbol for Ethiopia, bringing together citizens across ethnic and regional lines. From former rebel areas to major urban centers, Ethiopians contributed to what many now call “our dam.”