According to a local news agency, Ethiopia has revived its grand plan to build the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa: a $445 million, 62-story headquarters for state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).
Originally proposed in 2023, the project stalled due to financial difficulties. However, EEP has reopened the bidding process, inviting both local and international contractors to participate. The utility said qualified bidders must have at least ten years of experience and a track record of completing three large-scale projects worth $370 million or more.
Designed by Beirut-based engineering firm Dar Al-Handasah, the tower will be delivered as a full engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. Dar Al-Handasah will also manage the procurement process and oversee the construction phase, which is expected to take four years.
The proposed 327.5-meters tower would overtake the Leonardo Tower in Johannesburg (234 metres), currently the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia headquarters in Addis Ababa (209 meters), which holds that title in East Africa.
The new EEP tower will be located on a 2.8-hectare plot in the Kirkos area, close to the capital’s thriving central business district. With a floor area of approximately 198,000 square meters, the structure will house office spaces, as well as a rooftop sky garden and restaurant.