President HH Urges Faster Progress on Power Projects

President Hakainde Hichilema has criticised delays in energy sector financing, calling on investors to follow successful local examples amid economic transformation goals.

President Hichilema has expressed frustration with energy sector players who are failing to secure funding for power projects, despite available capital in the domestic economy.

Speaking during a meeting with the Energy Traders Association and regulatory bodies at State House, President Hichilema highlighted two successful local projects, Maamba Energy and the Chisamba Solar Plant ,as examples of how energy infrastructure can be developed using domestic resources.

"It takes you so long to achieve financial closure. What's the problem?" the president asked stakeholders. "I'm very happy to say Maamba was funded by people, businesses in this economy. I called a meeting one afternoon, and at the end of that afternoon we had money for Maamba phase 2…So the money is there."

The energy sector is central to Zambia's ambitious economic transformation agenda, which aims to produce three million tonnes of copper, ten million tonnes of maize, and bring 500,000 hectares of land under irrigation by 2031.

President Hichilema stressed the urgent need to meet domestic electricity demand while positioning the country to export power, particularly to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which requires around 600 megawatts of electricity.

The president also emphasised protecting small-scale consumers from load shedding, citing businesses like barber shops, salons, and grocery stores that use minimal power but are crucial for economic inclusivity.

"There must be ingenious solutions we can bring to the table to make sure that the 10, 15, 20 megawatts for those at the bottom should not be an issue," he said.

Sipho Phiri, speaking for energy stakeholders and chairman of Mphepo Energy, appealed for consistent tax policies to enable long-term planning. He also stressed the importance of expanding transmission lines to ensure generated electricity reaches consumers rather than remaining unused.

President Hichilema pledged to address bureaucratic obstacles hindering energy project implementation, describing the reform process as ongoing rather than a one-time event.