The Zambian government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding electricity access, diversifying energy sources and attracting investment to support national development and industrialisation.
The commitment was reiterated during the launch of the 2026 Energy Week, which runs from October 12 to 16 under the theme “Bridging the Energy Gap – Accelerating Universal Access and Industrialisation”.
Speaking during the launch in Lusaka, Permanent Secretary for Electricity, Arnold Simwaba, said the government was implementing policy and regulatory reforms to accelerate investment, expand generation capacity and promote universal energy access.
He said the theme reflected the government’s determination to address the country’s electricity deficit while ensuring that power development responded to the needs of households, businesses, farms, mines and emerging industries.
“Reliable and affordable energy was central to Zambia’s economic transformation, noting that increased electricity supply would support job creation, improve productivity and strengthen the competitiveness of local industries,” Simwaba said.
He said the government had set a target of increasing electricity generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2031 to strengthen energy security and support industrialisation.
Simwaba said the target would be supported by investments in new generation projects, transmission infrastructure, distribution networks and off-grid energy solutions.
“The Government was pursuing a diversified energy mix to strengthen national energy security and reduce overdependence on any single source of power,” he added.
He said the diversification programme included developing solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass resources, alongside appropriate conventional power generation options.
Simwaba said renewable energy would play an increasingly important role in extending electricity access to communities located far from the national grid.
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“Off-grid systems, mini-grids and standalone solar solutions would complement grid expansion and provide electricity to schools, health facilities, farms, small businesses and households in underserved areas,” he said.
The permanent secretary said the government was also prioritising the rehabilitation and upgrading of existing electricity infrastructure to improve reliability and reduce technical losses.
He said investments in transmission and distribution would help ensure that additional generation capacity reached consumers efficiently and supported the growth of productive sectors.
“The Government would therefore continue engaging stakeholders to create a predictable investment environment and ensure that energy projects delivered broad-based benefits,” Simwaba said.
He said policy and regulatory reforms were also being undertaken to improve the ease of doing business in the energy sector, streamline project development and strengthen transparency.
Simwaba further emphasised the importance of cost-reflective electricity tariffs and urged investors to take advantage of opportunities in Zambia’s energy sector.
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