Zambia’s state power utility, ZESCO, has signed a $300m joint venture with Anzana Electric Group to expand electricity access to nearly two million people along the Lobito Corridor by 2030.
The partnership marks the latest investment in the Lobito Corridor, a US and EU-backed project linking Angola’s port of Lobito with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Katanga province and Zambia’s Copperbelt. The corridor is set to become a key regional hub for trade and the export of critical minerals.
The ZESCO–Anzana venture, backed by private US investors and UK-owned Gridworks Development Partners, will combine concessional and commercial capital to rehabilitate and expand Zambia’s electricity network.
The US Embassy in Zambia welcomed the deal, saying: “We firmly believe private sector-led investment is the key to driving economic development in Zambia and emerging markets around the world.”
ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo said the project is about more than infrastructure. “It is about regional integration, jobs, and powering a better future for Zambians along the Lobito economic corridor,” he said. “We are excited to partner with Anzana, which is using an innovative and inclusive approach to attract capital and rapidly increase electrification in rural Zambia.”
The deal builds on a memorandum of understanding signed between Zambia’s Ministry of Energy and Anzana in February 2025. It will bring new investment not only for household and business connections but also for distributed generation to improve supply reliability.
Anzana CEO Brian Kelly described the corridor as “a model for future regional trade and development.” He said the partnership reflects Anzana’s commitment to “win-win projects that enable African countries to lead the next wave of electrification and economic growth.”
The collaboration will support new electricity generation, including run-of-river hydropower, and expand distribution in rural areas. A $50m pilot project in North-Western Province will kick off in 2026, targeting 40,000 household and business connections and up to 8MW of new generation within two years.
The long-term plan is to scale across the entire Lobito Corridor, which is emerging as a vital artery for Southern and Central Africa’s trade with global markets. Zambia’s government has set a goal of universal electricity access by 2030, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).
