 Ethiopia, one of the fastest growing economies in Africa according to the IMF, is among the East Africa countries that have been ranked to have fertile land for the construction business to flourish. And not surprisingly, construction is one of the largest industry sectors in Ethiopia and according to some estimates, the second largest employment generator after agriculture. To eradicate poverty, expand Ethiopia's infrastructure and to create jobs, the government of Ethiopia launched some mega construction projects. In this video, we will take a look at the top 10 ongoing mega projects in Ethiopia beginning with number 10. Please take a few seconds to like this video as we begin the countdown. 10. Addis Africa International Convention and Exhibition Center. The Addis Africa International Convention and Exhibition Center, AAICC, is one of Ethiopia's most prominent ongoing mega projects. It is a public private investment initiative that aims to build an international convention and exhibition center in Addis Ababa. It is expected to be the country's largest and first convention center with facilities such as exhibition and conference rooms, cinemas, theaters, a playground, and other amenities spread across 60,000 square meters of land. According to ALUAB, General Manager of AAICCC, all of the center's facilities are developed using cutting-edge venue technologies, making the center unique in Ethiopia and East Africa in terms of scale and sophistication. The project is projected to cost more than $50 billion and to be completely operational in seven years when all three building phases are completed. The project is currently in its second phase of construction. 9. Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The GERD project, originally known as the Millennium Dam, is a gravity dam located in Ethiopia's Benishingol-Gumas region, some 15 kilometers east of the border with Sudan. The dam has been under construction since 2011, when a $4.7 billion procurement and construction, EPC, contract was awarded to Selene Kostraturi, and it was scheduled to be completed in July 2017. However, it is still under construction due to a variety of obstacles, including a regional conflict over the flow of the Nile delays and the termination of the initial contract with METEC, which is managed by the Ethiopian military. The dam's principal objective is to generate electricity to alleviate Ethiopia's acute energy need and to export to surrounding nations. When finished, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa and one of the top 20 in the world, with a planned installed capacity of 5.15 gigatons. Construction of the dam is planned to provide up to 12,000 jobs, and around 20,000 people will be relocated during the duration of the project. 8. LAPSET project. Although it is primarily a Kenyan project, the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport, or LAPSET corridor project, often known as the Lamu Corridor, is one of Ethiopia's top ongoing megaprojects. It was inaugurated on March 2, 2012 by Kenyan President Waikabaki, Ethiopian Prime Minister Mal Zinawi, and South Sudanese President Salva Kier. The project's goal is to connect Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, and if finished, it will be the largest and most ambitious infrastructure project in East Africa. The project involves, but is not limited to, the construction of a new 32-birth port at Lamu, Kenya, railway lines connecting the three countries, road networks, and oil pipelines. The cost of LAPSET was expected to be $16 billion in 2009. Recent estimates, however, based on research, placed the project's cost between $22 billion U.S. dollars and $23 billion U.S. dollars. 7. Boll International Airport The current Boll International Airport in Addis Abiba, which can handle 19 million passengers annually, is experiencing congestion due to the ever-increasing number of passengers. So the Ethiopian government has decided to build another airport, which, when completed, will be Africa's largest. The budget is planned to be $5 billion, with four runways, and the potential to handle up to 120 million people per year after the project is completed. The airport would be located in Bishoftu, a town 39 kilometers south of Addis Abiba, and would encompass an area of 35 square kilometers. The ADP Engineering is now undertaking the planning study for the new airport project. 6. TAMS Hydro Power Project The TAMS Hydro Power Project is a proposed multipurpose project in the Barrow River Basin in southwestern Ethiopia. The project region is situated at the confluence of the Barrow River Basin's descending, densely forested highlands and the alluvial, fertile plains of the lower Barrow River. The proposed TAMS Reservoir would have 4.8 billion cubic meters of live storage, a dam height of 248 meters, and a reservoir size of 76 square kilometers. In a country where development is impeded by electricity shortages, the hydroelectric plant would meet a major amount of the region's energy demand. According to global data, which analyses over 170,000 power plants globally, the project is now in the permitting stage. It will be built in a single phase, and is projected to be operational in 2025 after construction is completed. 5. The Lager The Lager is a private public partnership housing project being built by the Eagle Hills Development Business and the Ethiopian government. The 36-hectare site, located at the former Addis Ababa Central train station, is one of the country's largest mixed-use developments. When finished, it will be a $1.5 billion complex, with 4,000 residences, hotels, retail, and leisure activities. The objective is to draw attention to Ethiopia's rich history and natural beauty, while also contributing to the local market by creating jobs and further anchoring the site in the Ethiopian economy. If the project is successful, it will demonstrate that Addis Ababa can support a commercial real estate market, which will strengthen the city's design and finance sectors and attract outside investment. It will also be a victory in Ethiopia's quest to become a middle-income country. 4. Mess Up Tower Mess Up Tower is a proposed 70-story mixed-use building on Mozambique Street in Addis Ababa's Kirkos sub-city. The development, which is expected to be a tourist attraction, is shaped like a mess up, an Ethiopian household item where food is kept. The Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism is in charge of the project. The overall land area for this 74 development is 50,000 square meters, and it will be 250 meters tall, more than three times taller than the Izuri Towers in Eco Atlantic, Victoria Island, which have an average height of 70 meters. The tower's development will cost approximately $681 million, and will include, among other things, hotels, shopping malls, a cultural center representing all areas of Ethiopia, a gym, and a golf club. The project is expected to be completed in five years. 3. Addwa Center The Addwa Center, named after the historic victory of Ethiopian patriots over the Italian invasion at the end of the 19th century, is intended to serve as a landmark that shows the significance of Ethiopian unity in overcoming any kind of adversity, and is intended to be the largest of its kind in the country. The Majestic Addwa Center is being built close to the Addis Ababa Municipality Building, which also houses the mayor's office. It will be built by the Chinese International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group, which inked the agreement with the Addis Ababa City Administration. The center will include a museum with historical facts about the Battle of Addwa, as well as a large meeting space that can hold up to 2,000 people. The center will also have film halls, a library, and places for sport and amusement for youngsters. The $90.46 million mega-project features cutting-edge parking with a capacity of over 1,000 cars at a time. According to current reports, the center's construction was 75% complete. 2. Public Library Project The Public Library Project, which is one of the big projects underway in the city administration, is being completed quickly since the shortage of such facilities, if not addressed quickly, will likely harm future generations in terms of access to libraries and similar amenities. This project, which is now underway and has a budget of approximately 1 billion Ethiopian currency, would address concerns related to library access for the city's young, and those who languish performing things that are detrimental to their health and mental faculties. This library, which is built on 1.8 hectares of land, can accommodate 35,000 people and includes parking for 113 cars. It also boasts state-of-the-art ICT equipment. Both local inhabitants and members of the diplomatic community in Addis Ababa are welcome to utilize the library. 1. Aluda Langano Geothermal Power Project This is a geothermal power project under development in Arcee, Oromia region, Ethiopia. It is being built within the dormant Aludo volcano, a volcanic complex of the Ethiopian Rift Valley with many craters up to 1 kilo-edersim wide. The station has been producing geothermal energy since 1990, but has been paused for expansion. The expansion project, which intends to generate an extra 70 megawatt, is largely supported by the World Bank through the International Development Association. A total of 12 wells are planned for the Aluda Langano extension project, and lately state-owned Ethiopian electric power, EEP, reported that production testing for the drilled wells in the Aluda Langano geothermal site has begun. When completed, the Aluda Langano geothermal power station will be run by Aluda Langano geothermal wellhead power system, a firm completely controlled by the Ethiopian state-owned company EEP. What do you think of Ethiopia's top 10 mega projects? Do leave your comments down below, and don't forget to subscribe to our channel if you haven't done so already. Please remember to like and share this video. Please turn on your notification icon to get alerts of our newly posted videos.