In the vast, sun-baked expanses of Ethiopia’s Somali region—a land long whispered about in tales of resilience amid hardship—a quiet revolution is unfolding. Once marginalized by geography and history, this corner of the Horn of Africa is now the canvas for audacious dreams turned into steel and stone. As we stand on the cusp of October 2025, the air hums with the promise of change: mega projects worth a staggering $10 billion, poised to quench the thirst for development that has parched these communities for generations. These aren’t just constructions; they are lifelines, woven from vision and valor, breathing life into a region that has endured too much silence. From the fertile fields of Gode to the energy-rich basins of Qorahe, Ethiopia is rewriting its story—one of equity, empowerment, and unbreakable spirit.
Today, October 2, 2025, marks a historic turning point, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurates the first phase of the Ogaden Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project in Calub, with an initial annual production capacity of 111 million liters.
This milestone, drawing from the vast reserves of the Calub and Hilala fields, signals Ethiopia’s shift toward domestic energy utilization, powering the fertilizer revolution and beyond while creating immediate jobs for local communities. The project’s Phase II—encompassing LNG, compressed natural gas (CNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production at Calub , Qorahe—is now accelerating, targeting 600,000 tons per annum and a swift two-year completion timeline. This expansion will not only fuel households and industries but also position the Somali region as a hub for clean energy distribution, reducing import reliance and sparking a cascade of downstream opportunities from transport to petrochemicals.
At the heart of this transformation beats the $2.5 billion Dangote Fertilizer Complex in Gode, a colossal endeavor signed into reality last month by Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) and Nigeria’s Dangote Group. Launched today amid great fanfare, this behemoth is already churning out 3 million metric tons of urea annually, enough to blanket Ethiopia’s farmlands and banish the specter of import dependency. Imagine: nomads who once chased fleeting rains now witnessing fields burst with abundance, their children no longer haunted by hunger’s shadow. This plant isn’t merely a factory; it’s a symphony of self-sufficiency, harmonizing with the soil to feed a nation and heal a region’s wounds, while generating thousands of direct jobs and empowering women’s cooperatives in fertilizer distribution.
But the symphony swells further with the launch of the Ogaden Crude Oil Refinery in Gode, a $3.5 billion marvel designed to process 3.5 million tons per annum across two phases, each slated for completion in just 18 months. Unveiled today, Phase I kicks off immediate refining of hydrocarbons from the Ogaden Basin into vital fuels and feedstocks, catalyzing a web of small businesses—from transport fleets to local mechanics—that will knit communities closer. This refinery transforms raw potential into refined progress, slashing Ethiopia’s fuel import bills and fostering energy independence, with Phase II poised to double output and export capabilities by mid-2027.
Echoing this surge is the 1,000 MW Gas-To-Power project, a hybrid powerhouse fueled by Ogaden’s bounty and targeted for full operation in 6-12 months at Qorahe. This facility, critical to industrial might, will unleash 24/7 productivity in a region where power outages once stifled dreams, turning workshops into factories and ideas into exports. In Gode and Qorahe, where electricity has long been a luxury, this plant—integrated with the new gas flows—will electrify homes, schools, and aspirations, powering the fertilizer and refinery complexes while creating technical training pipelines for Somali youth.
Crowning these pillars is also concrete road network of artery pulsing with connectivity—. Paved in durable concrete, this lifeline erases the tyranny of mud and dust, slashing travel times and inviting trade caravans of the modern age. Trucks laden with goods will roll where camels once toiled, markets will overflow with shared prosperity, and borders will blur into bridges of brotherhood.
Yet, beneath these monumental strides lies a foundation even more precious: the profound peace that has blanketed the Somali region for the past seven years under the steadfast leadership of President Mustafe Omar. Since assuming office in 2018, Mustafe has woven threads of reconciliation into the fabric of a land once frayed by conflict and division. What was a theater of unrest has blossomed into Ethiopia’s most stable and serene corner—a testament to his unyielding commitment to dialogue, inclusivity, and democratic governance. Picture the shift: villages where gunfire echoed now host weddings under starlit skies, elders gathering not in fear but in council, and youth channeling energy into education rather than exile. This era of tranquility, marked by unprecedented development and unity, has silenced the scars of yesteryears, allowing communities to heal, trust to rebuild, and dreams to take root without the shadow of strife. Mustafe’s vision—strong, principled, and profoundly human—has not only quelled tempests but cultivated a soil fertile for progress, where peace is the quiet architect of tomorrow’s triumphs. In his hands, the Somali spirit has found its calm harbor, a seven-year symphony of serenity that amplifies every hammer strike and pipeline weld.
How profound this shift for a region scarred by marginalization? The Somali region’s story has been one of endurance—droughts that tested faith, conflicts that tore at unity, underinvestment that left potential buried like hidden aquifers. Yet these projects, clustered in this once-forsaken frontier, are alchemists of fate. They will spawn tens of thousands of jobs: engineers from local clans, welders trained in community hubs, entrepreneurs fueling supply chains. Women’s cooperatives will thrive on fertilizer-boosted harvests; youth academies will rise beside power plants, churning out technicians for the energy boom. Health clinics, powered reliably, will save lives; schools, connected by roads, will keep children in class. Poverty’s grip loosens as GDP surges—experts project a multiplier effect, where each billion invested ripples into education, healthcare, and cultural revival.
For the people, it’s redemption wrapped in rebar: elders who remember lean years will see grandchildren chase soccer balls under solar lamps, not stars alone. It’s the nomad’s daughter becoming a plant operator, the herder’s son coding pipeline logistics. This isn’t development by decree; it’s dignity reclaimed, a testament that no corner of Ethiopia is too remote for progress’s embrace.
And for the nation? These Somali anchors fortify Ethiopia’s core. The fertilizer plant slashes import bills by millions, freeing resources for nationwide growth. LNG exports could crown Ethiopia an energy exporter, pipelines weaving regional ties stronger than steel. Roads and refineries knit the economy into a seamless tapestry, from Addis’s skylines to Dire Dawa’s ports. In a world eyeing Africa’s rise, these projects position Ethiopia as a beacon—proving that inclusive growth isn’t a slogan, but a seismic force.
None of this blooms in isolation. We stand in awe and gratitude to Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed, whose visionary leadership has turned periphery into priority, and to the Prosperity Party (PP), whose unyielding commitment to equitable renaissance fuels this fire. Dr. Abiy, your words—“Ethiopia’s future is in its peripheries”—echo like a vow fulfilled, a bridge from promise to reality. To the PP, thank you for championing the forgotten, for policies that pulse with people’s power. In your hands, Ethiopia doesn’t just build; it heals, unites, and soars.
As the first cranes pierce Gode’s sky and pipes gleam in Qorahe’s dawn, let us hold this moment close—a heartfelt hymn to what was, what is, and what will be. The Somali region rises, and with it, Ethiopia’s unbreakable heart. May these mega projects be the seeds of a harvest without end, where every child knows the warmth of opportunity, and every elder whispers, “We made it.”
abdifetah Ahmed Rabi
kebridahar University Pres
