Zambia: $300M drive to electrify 2 million along Lobito Corridor

22 08 2025 | 11:23Editorial / ESI Africa

The collaboration between ZESCO and Anzana will support new electricity generation, including run-of-river hydropower, and electricity distribution primarily in rural areas

Zambia is set for a major electricity boost as ZESCO, the nation’s power utility, teams up with Anzana Electric Group in a $300 million joint venture aimed at connecting 2 million households and businesses along the Lobito economic corridor by 2030. 

In a joint statement the two entities said the $300 million investment will enable the rehabilitation and expansion of the national electricity network to provide first-time grid-connections for nearly 2 million Zambians by 2030, in alignment with the Zambian Government’s goal of universal access to electricity for all Zambians.  

The signing of the agreement has advanced into finalised terms for a joint venture, paving the way for approximately $300 million in blended commercial and concessional capital investments.

C&I Solar+Storage Summit Zambia Advisory Board Member Rose Chikotola-Sichizya speaks to Programme Manager Babalwa Bungane about energy use in industry in Zambia.

 

The United States Embassy in Zambia said the US “continues to support the development of the Lobito Economic Corridor and we firmly believe private sector-led investment is the key to driving economic development in Zambia and emerging markets around the world.”

The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding between Anzana and Zambia’s Ministry of Energy signed in February 2025.

Powering a better future for Zambians along the Lobito economic Corridor

“This is about more than infrastructure, it is about regional integration, jobs, and powering a better future for Zambians along the Lobito economic corridor,” said ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo. “We are excited to partner with Anzana who is employing an innovative and inclusive approach to attract capital and rapidly increase electrification rates in rural Zambia.”

The agreement enables not only significant investment in electrifying households, businesses and industry, but also in new distributed generation to support the reliability of supply in the service area.

“The strategic Lobito economic corridor approach is a model for future regional trade and development,” said Anzana CEO Brian Kelly. 

“This partnership builds on Anzana’s deep experience in the region, including our development of Weza Power in Burundi, and reflects our commitment to win-win partnerships enabling African countries to lead the next wave of electrification and economic growth.”

The collaboration between ZESCO and Anzana will support new electricity generation, including run-of-river hydropower, and electricity distribution primarily in rural areas. 

The Angola-Zambia-DRC corridor is being developed as a major economic artery for Southern and Central Africa, enhancing trade flow between these mineral-rich regions and global export markets. 

The government of Zambia has set an ambitious universal access to electricity by 2030 as part of its national energy policy, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

In terms of energy development, the Lobito Corridor is well-positioned to electrify millions of homes and businesses.

The agreement envisions that Anzana will lead the development of a pilot project in the North-Western Province of Zambia intended to accelerate the first connections in 2026. Anzana and other development partners will jointly invest $50 million to enable approximately 40,000 new household and business connections and add up to 8MW of new generation over the course of two years, before expanding the scope to encompass the entire Lobito Corridor region.   

Cover photo:  mnyjhee©123rf

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