The Pride of Ethiopia: Building Africa’s Largest Hydro Dam

Ethiopia’s ambitious journey to build Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam is both a story of national pride and a symbol of progress. The project showcases resilience against financial, political, and environmental challenges while uniting citizens around a shared vision of energy independence. Beyond generating electricity, the dam promises regional development, economic transformation, and improved livelihoods. It stands as a testament to Ethiopia’s determination to harness natural resources for sustainable growth and continental influence.

At first glance, the enormous construction site left a young Ethiopian mechanical engineer feeling daunted. Already, hundreds of workers were battling harsh conditions to carve out the foundations of what has since become the continent’s biggest hydroelectric dam, stretching across the Blue Nile.

When Moges Yeshiwas, then 27, reached this remote corner of western Ethiopia in 2012, he was eager to sharpen his skills. The project not only promised to transform his nation but also altered the course of his own life. This Tuesday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is scheduled to officially inaugurate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project expected to power Ethiopia and share electricity with its neighbors.

The dam itself extends 1.78 km across a valley, standing 145 meters tall, built with a staggering 11 million cubic meters of concrete. Its construction created a vast reservoir, Lake Nigat, meaning “dawn” in Amharic. Because it sits on a tributary of the Nile, which supplies the bulk of the river’s water, the project has long been contentious. Egypt, in particular, voiced strong opposition, sparking diplomatic rifts and even whispers of conflict.

For Ethiopians, however, the GERD came to represent national pride. In Abiy Ahmed’s view, it placed Ethiopia squarely on the global stage. For Moges, now 40, the achievement carries personal pride. He described watching daily progress on the dam as immensely rewarding. What started as just another job soon became an emotional commitment, where he worried about its success as if it were part of himself.

The experience was not without hardships.

Being away from family for long stretches was tough, he told the BBC. Living 400 km from his hometown of Bahir Dar meant he could only visit twice a year. The site’s isolation, extreme heat, sometimes reaching 45°C and grueling hours also tested him. Shifts typically lasted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., broken only by a short lunch break, before handing over to the night team so work could continue around the clock. His responsibility was to ensure the integrity of the construction, guaranteeing standards were met.

Amid a decade marked by political unrest and ethnic tensions, the GERD stood out as a rare source of unity in Ethiopia. While thousands like Moges built the dam directly, millions more invested in it financially. Ordinary citizens contributed by buying government bonds and donating to support the project. Despite claims from former U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington funded the project, Ethiopian officials insist it was financed entirely at home.

Public fundraising drives encouraged repeated contributions from citizens. One contributor was nurse Kiros Asfaw. Even though he came from Tigray, a region devastated by a two-year civil war, he had supported the dam financially since plans were first announced in 2011. He estimates he purchased bonds over 100 times, though he had to stop during the war when banks and other services were shut down in his region. Kiros drew motivation from the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who launched the project and urged Ethiopians to unite behind it. He vowed to do all he could to see the dam completed, he told the BBC.

Now that the turbines are operating, attention is shifting to how much the project will change lives in Ethiopia. At full output, the GERD will generate 5,100 MW, more than double the country’s previous production, potentially bringing power to tens of millions of additional homes. But this depends on expanding the infrastructure needed to deliver electricity nationwide.

According to Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Ifeta, nearly half of Ethiopia’s 135 million people still lack electricity. He said the government aims to cut that figure drastically in the next five years, hoping that by 2030, 90% of citizens will have access to power.

For residents like 35-year-old farmer Getenesh Gabiso in Alamura, near Hawassa, the promise of electricity feels life-changing. Like millions in rural Ethiopia, her family lives without power despite being close to a major city. She gathers firewood to cook meals. At night, her family relies on kerosene lamps, while her husband worries about the health risks from smoke exposure.

He recalls how the fumes damaged his wife’s once-bright eyes and fears for their children’s safety. For Getenesh, the dream is simple, light in her home. She tells the BBC that she doesn’t care about appliances, only the ability to see clearly after sunset. They wait eagerly for the GERD to change their lives, though the minister admits vast investments in transmission lines are still required to connect remote areas. Tens of thousands of kilometers of new power cables must be installed to reach villages like hers.

For Moges, the engineer, the power flowing from the Blue Nile will eventually reach them. He recalls missing much of his son’s early years while working on the project. Though that sacrifice weighed on him, he takes pride in knowing his child’s future will be brighter thanks to his role in building the dam.

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Source: BBC‍