Zimbabwe’s Minister of Power and Energy development urges private sector investment to modernize transmission, expand distribution and support industrial growth in the country.
Source: Zimbabwe Seeks Private Investment to Modernize Power Grid – African Energy Week Cape Town | AEC Week
Zimbabwe has called on private sector investment to upgrade and expand its aging transmission and distribution networks. Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Power and Energy Development has identified the expansion and modernization of its national grid as a priority. Key infrastructure upgrades will include transformer replacements, installation of underground cables and overhead conductor enhancements.
The call for investment was made during the Powering Africa’s Industrial Revolution panel session at African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 conference by July Moyo, Minister of Power and Energy Development, Zimbabwe.
“We have opened up investment in our transmission and distribution networks for the private sector,” Minister Moyo stated.
Investors are also being sought for regional interconnections, with cross-border projects being prioritized to enhance power trade within the Southern African Power Pool. Off-grid and decentralized solutions are being promoted to increase rural electrification. According to the Minister, private participation is being incentivized through public-private partnerships, independent power production, net metering, tax holidays and guarantees against expropriation.
Meanwhile, Jonas Amukunde, Technical Advisor to Namibia’s Deputy Prime Minister, also called on independent power producers (IPPs) to assist heavy industries in Namibia to upscale power generation and reduce reliance on the national grid.
“We aim for industries to set up their own onsite, limited generation capacities,” Amukunde stated.
For his part, Stan Pillay, Regional Carbon and Innovation Lead – Africa at global mining company Anglo American, stressed the importance of striking a balance between renewable energy and conventional energy sources. Pillay highlighted southern Africa’s potential to become a leader in renewable energy generation while leveraging the full capacity of its natural resources like oil and natural gas.
“You need to think about a balance in energy that secures energy supply,” Pillay stated, adding, “The energy landscape has fundamentally changed and required a new way of thinking.”
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