Zambia will need at least US$11 billion in energy-sector investment over the next 25 years to meet its electricity generation and access targets, the Ministry of Energy has announced.
Speaking at the National Dialogue on Energy in Lusaka, Ministry of Energy chief planner Tito Manseli said the investment is essential for achieving milestones outlined in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) the country’s 30-year blueprint for power development running from 2022 to 2052.
Manseli said Zambia aims to raise its electricity generation capacity from the current 3,900 megawatts to 10,000 megawatts by 2030, rising further to 16,000 megawatts by 2040 and, 23,000 megawatts by 2050.
He stressed that government alone can not meet the financing needs and called for stronger public-private sector collaboration.
He added that meeting future demand will require diversifying away from hydropower to include solar, coal, wind, and other technologies.
Zambia is also targeting universal access to electricity by 2038, with current access standing at 53.6 per cent nationally.
Manseli warned that rapid population growth currently at 3.5 per cent annually and rising economic activity, especially in mining and agriculture, will place significant pressure on the energy system.
He said copper production targets of three million tonnes per year by 2031 will further increase power demand.
Kamfinsa MP and chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Energy and Mining, Christopher Kang’ombe, said Zambia will need over US$400 million per year to meet the sector’s financing requirements, urging stakeholders to prioritise resource mobilisation.
Government representatives at the meeting acknowledged ongoing challenges, including supply deficits, financing gaps, and governance constraints.
CTPD executive director Isaac Mwaipopo noted that Zambia’s ambitions in mining, agriculture, and other growth sectors depend on a stable and expanded energy supply, making investment discussions critical.
[Talking Business Magazine, 9th April 2026]
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