Zambia is set to resume construction on a long-delayed electricity transmission line connecting it to neighboring Tanzania, a move expected to strengthen regional energy integration and create one of the largest interconnected power markets in Africa.
Speaking at a signing ceremony on Friday, Achim Fock, the World Bank’s country manager for Zambia, confirmed that work on the Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector Project will recommence this month, with completion targeted for 2028.
The project, valued at $320 million, is being financed by the World Bank, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. Of the remaining $298 million required to complete the work, the World Bank will contribute $245 million through a grant, Zambia’s Acting Finance Minister Chipoka Mulenga announced at the event.
First proposed over a decade ago, the power line project has faced repeated delays due to logistical challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Zambia’s sovereign debt crisis, which culminated in a default in late 2020. However, following a breakthrough agreement with bondholders last year, Zambia has made strides in restructuring its debt under the G20’s Common Framework initiative—an approach designed to coordinate debt relief efforts among major lenders, including China and the Paris Club of creditor nations.
Fock emphasized the strategic importance of the project, noting that linking the Southern African and East African power pools will enhance energy security, lower electricity costs, and promote increased trade and investment in the region’s power sector.
Once operational, the Zambia–Tanzania interconnector is expected to play a vital role in stabilizing power supply across borders and facilitating broader economic growth throughout the continent.