Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has called for stronger regional cooperation and coordination in energy management to accelerate economic growth across Africa.
He stressed that energy security must be treated as a shared regional priority rather than an isolated national concern, noting that interconnected power systems, harmonised policies and joint planning would boost industrialisation, trade and investment across the continent.
Addressing participants at the Continental Energy and Infrastructure Investment Forum (CEIIF) in Zambia, President Hichilema said collaboration among neighbouring countries would help mitigate future energy shocks and build more resilient economies.
He outlined key reforms implemented by his administration in the energy sector, stating that these interventions had been crucial in addressing longstanding challenges in electricity supply and governance.
The President highlighted the adoption of Open Access to the national grid and the introduction of a single licensing framework as major milestones that have reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks and improved transparency.
According to him, the reforms have created a more predictable and investor-friendly environment while strengthening regulatory oversight and enhancing market efficiency.
He noted that, as a direct result of these regulatory changes, Zambia now has Independent Power Traders operating in the market alongside an expanding number of Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
President Hichilema explained that this evolving market structure has diversified power sources, promoted competition and improved supply reliability for both households and industries.
He acknowledged that his government had taken tough and sometimes unpopular decisions to address the recent energy crisis, emphasising that failure to act would have posed serious risks to Zambia’s economic stability.
Looking ahead, the President revealed Zambia’s ambition to expand national power generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts, including 3,000 megawatts from coal.
He described this as a balanced energy strategy that combines renewable sources with baseload power to support industrial growth and economic transformation.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to regional partnership, innovation and sustainable energy development as pillars for long-term prosperity.
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