ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia has revived a long-stalled plan to build what would be the tallest skyscraper in sub-Saharan Africa—a 62-story glass and steel monument in the heart of Addis Ababa—at a time when the country continues to grapple with high inflation, youth unemployment, and a fragile post-conflict recovery.
The $445 million project, slated to serve as the new headquarters for Ethiopian Electric Power, will rise to a height of 1,074 feet (327 meters) in the city’s Kirkos district, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Ministry of Urban Infrastructure and Construction.
Once completed, the tower will eclipse Nairobi’s Britam Tower and Lagos’ NECOM House, staking a bold architectural claim in a region known more for its infrastructure deficits than skyline ambition.
“This tower is not just about height. It’s about ambition, resilience, and reimagining Ethiopia’s global image,” said Abebe Guta, a senior official at the state utility firm.
“We want a building that reflects our energy future.”
The project, originally proposed in 2018 but shelved amid political turmoil and war in Tigray, is now being relaunched under what the government calls a new “national renewal strategy” that includes debt restructuring and foreign investment in infrastructure.
Officials say the building will be powered by renewable energy sources and incorporate smart-grid technologies.
Still, critics have raised concerns over priorities. Ethiopia is currently undergoing a delicate economic balancing act: it recently finalized a $3.5 billion debt restructuring deal with official creditors and is under pressure from the IMF and World Bank to reduce public spending.
“Constructing a skyscraper while hospitals lack basic supplies and unemployment soars sends the wrong message,” said Meseret Tulu, an economist at Addis Ababa University.
“It risks being seen as a vanity project, not a vehicle of development.”
Supporters counter that large-scale construction projects generate jobs and stimulate local supply chains. Government officials say the project will create more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase, which is expected to take five years.
The design of the tower—by an unnamed multinational architecture firm—is said to incorporate Ethiopian cultural motifs and a panoramic observation deck.
The bottom floors will include exhibition spaces, a public energy museum, and a tech incubator focused on renewable innovations.
For some in Addis Ababa, the return of the tower signals more than just steel and concrete.
“It tells us the country is trying to rise again,” said Tesfaye Workneh, a 29-year-old civil engineer sipping coffee near the site. “But we just hope it doesn’t rise alone.”
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