Ethiopia houses 3 of Africa’s top 10 hydropower dams, while Nigeria trails in 10th place with its 760 MW Kainji Dam

Key Takeaways

  • Ethiopia leads Africa’s hydropower projects with the massive 6,450 MW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
  • Three of Africa’s top ten hydroelectric plants are located in Ethiopia, signalling major investment in renewable energy.
  • The Kariba Dam, shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe, is the largest cross-border project on the list.
  • Nigeria’s Kainji Dam ranks tenth with 760 MW, highlighting a relatively lower capacity compared to continental leaders.

Africa’s hydropower landscape is led by Ethiopia, whose Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) boasts a staggering 6,450 MW capacity, more than triple Egypt’s historic Aswan High Dam at 2,100 MW. Ethiopia further asserts its dominance with two more entries: the Gilgel Gibe III (1,870 MW) and Tekeze Dam (1,200 MW), positioning it as the continent’s hydropower powerhouse.

Meanwhile, countries like Mozambique and DR Congo also make the top tier with major installations like the Cahora Bassa Dam and Inga Dams, respectively. The regional spread illustrates Africa’s growing reliance on hydroelectric power to meet energy demands and reduce fossil fuel dependency.

Source:

The African Exponent

Period:

June 2025
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