Ethiopia is set to officially inaugurate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in the coming months, marking the near-completion of Africa’s largest hydropower project.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) confirmed to the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives that the GERD will be inaugurated within the next six months. The dam, which began construction 15 years ago under former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, is now in its final phase.

The Prime Minister also addressed ongoing diplomatic engagements with Egypt regarding the project. He stated that Ethiopia has presented multiple proposals and remains open to further dialogue to address any concerns about the dam’s construction and operation. Discussions have included high-level talks with Egypt’s Ministry of Security.

Currently, the GERD is 97.6% complete, with only finishing touches remaining, according to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project Coordination Office. The dam, initially projected to cost 80 billion birr ($4.5 billion), has so far required an investment of over 180 billion birr. An additional 80 billion birr is expected to be needed to finalize construction.

The Ethiopian public has contributed over 20 billion birr to the project, and the government aims to raise another 1.6 billion birr this year to support its completion.

Already, the GERD is generating 540 megawatts of electricity through two operational turbines. Once fully functional, it is expected to produce 5,150 megawatts, significantly boosting Ethiopia’s energy supply and enabling electricity exports to neighboring countries. The dam currently holds 42 billion cubic meters of water, with plans to reach its full capacity of 74 billion cubic meters.

Despite its significance for Ethiopia’s energy security and economic growth, the GERD has been a focal point of regional disputes, particularly with Egypt and Sudan. The project has faced years of diplomatic tensions, with Egypt repeatedly voicing concerns over its impact on Nile water flow. Ethiopia, however, maintains that the GERD will not harm downstream countries and insists that the negotiations should move beyond colonial-era treaties that it deems outdated.

Over the past 13 years, multiple rounds of tripartite negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan have failed to yield a conclusive agreement. While Egypt blames Ethiopia for the stalled talks, Ethiopia argues that Cairo’s position has been inflexible.