Ethiopia on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydropower facility, in defiance of strong objections from Egypt.
The inauguration took place in Guba, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the $5 billion project as a symbol of national pride and regional progress.
Military jets flew overhead as part of the ceremony.
Abiy said the dam was built to boost Ethiopia’s development and would not be used to harm neighboring countries.
“To our Sudanese and Egyptian brothers, Ethiopia built the dam to prosper. It is absolutely not to harm its brothers,” he stated.
The GERD is designed to generate up to 5,150 megawatts of electricity, placing it among the world’s largest hydropower projects.
Ethiopian authorities said the dam will significantly expand electricity access at home and position the country as an energy exporter to the region.
Egypt, which depends on the Nile for nearly 90 percent of its freshwater, has opposed the project from its inception.
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Cairo insists that Ethiopia’s unilateral filling and operation of the dam without a binding agreement threatens its water security and violates international norms.
Despite Ethiopia’s assurances, Egyptian officials have repeatedly warned that the dam could cause severe disruptions during drought years.
Cairo has sought support from regional and international partners in pressing for a legally binding accord on the use of Nile waters.
So far, Ethiopian officials maintain that the filling of the dam has not caused major downstream disruptions due to favorable rainfall.
The project has, however, heightened tensions in the Nile Basin, even as it is hailed in Ethiopia as a unifying national achievement and a critical step toward electrification for millions still without power.