Africa added more than 4.2 GW of new hydropower capacity in 2025, which is the second successive year new hydropower capacity added exceeded 4 GW, says the International Hydropower Association (IHA) in its '2026 World Hydropower Outlook'.
Africa has seen significant hydropower progress for the second consecutive year, which places it at the forefront of global growth.
During the past year, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was inaugurated and is now Africa’s largest power station. Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere hydropower project was also completed in 2025 and has substantially reduced dependence on diesel generators in that country.
Together, these projects significantly reshape regional electricity supply in East Africa, the IHA says.
Targeted modernisation also contributed meaningfully to 2025 capacity additions, as Nigeria's Kainji plant added 80 MW, bringing total capacity to 600 MW.
