The African Development Bank Group has approved around 110 million dollars in financing for what is set to become Ethiopia’s largest wind power project, a 300 megawatt independent wind farm in the country’s Somali Region.
The project, known as the Aysha 1 Wind Power Project, is Ethiopia’s first 300 MW wind development to be implemented under a public–private partnership and independent power producer model. It is being developed by AMEA Power in partnership with the Government of Ethiopia and is regarded by officials as a flagship investment in the country’s renewable energy programme.
Ethiopian authorities say the project will supply a substantial amount of clean electricity to the national grid once operational, helping to support growing demand and diversify the country’s energy mix away from hydropower and fossil fuels. The wind farm is part of a broader push to expand utility‑scale renewables and attract private capital into Ethiopia’s power sector.
Ahead of the bank’s decision, Ethiopian Electric Power and the Ministry of Finance hosted a high‑level lenders’ due diligence meeting for Aysha 1, during which the African Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation were confirmed as lead arrangers for the project’s multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar investment package. The authorities described this as a key milestone toward achieving financial close.
Officials involved in the project have framed the bank’s 110 million‑dollar commitment as a vote of confidence in Ethiopia’s PPP framework and its wider renewable energy agenda. They also see Aysha 1 as a potential model for future privately financed wind and solar projects in the country.
Once completed, the Aysha 1 wind farm is expected to stand as Ethiopia’s largest single wind installation by capacity, reinforcing the country’s position as a growing player in Africa’s clean energy landscape.
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