Our portfolio company, Anzana Electric Group, has signed an agreement with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to fund a feasibility study in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The study will look at expanding hydropower generation and upgrading electricity distribution in the DRC’s Lualaba Province and Zambia’s North-Western Province.
The work will inform efforts to strengthen the energy infrastructure across the Lobito Corridor, while supporting critical minerals supply chains in one of Africa’s most important copper and cobalt-producing regions.
The region has significant untapped hydropower potential but reliable electricity is still a major challenge. Mining uses most of the available power and many households and local businesses are left without reliable supply. The project aims to strengthen existing power supply and bring new connections to more than half a million homes and businesses. It will also help mining companies rely less on costly diesel generation.
The study will assess:
- Rehabilitating existing hydropower assets
- Developing new hydropower generation
- Expanding distribution networks to serve mines and surrounding communities
The study will also structure the project so that it can attract financing.
Brian Kelly, CEO of Anzana Group, said:
“The countries along the Lobito Corridor are uniquely positioned to create long-term economic value from their critical minerals. Realising that ambition depends on reliable electricity, which underpins industrialisation, drives local value addition, creates jobs and strengthens economies. We are proud to partner with USTDA on an initiative designed to catalyse long-term private investment in the infrastructure needed to support sustainable economic growth and expand opportunity across the Lobito Corridor.”
Shaun Githuku, Co-Head of Business Development at Gridworks, said:
“This partnership will make an invaluable contribution to bringing reliable hydropower generation and widening access to the Lobito Corridor. It underscores Anzana’s position as a leading electricity generation and distribution platform in East, Central and Southern Africa.”
