Zambia plans to generate 3,000 megawatts (MW) from coal as part of a broader push to raise national power capacity to about 10,000 MW by 2030, President Hakainde Hichilema said.
The strategy forms part of efforts to mobilise about $11 billion in new energy investments to stabilise electricity supply, support industrial growth, and underpin an ambitious expansion of copper production in Africa’s second-largest copper producer.
Speaking at the opening of the Central and Eastern Africa International Investment Forum in the capital, Lusaka, Hichilema said coal would play a critical role in providing baseload power alongside renewable energy.
“Zambia’s ambition is to expand its national power generation capacity to 10,000 MW, with 3,000 MW to be derived exclusively from coal,” Hichilema said.
“This is a balanced energy strategy that will combine renewable sources with baseload power to support industrial expansion and economic transformation.”
Coal, copper and power security
Zambia has been grappling with persistent power shortages following a prolonged drought that sharply reduced water levels in major reservoirs, cutting hydropower output and weighing on economic growth.
A recent Business Insider analysis estimates Africa’s total coal reserves at hundreds of billions of cubic metres, placing Zambia among the continent’s top 10 holders with an estimated 944.9 million cubic metres. That positions the country seventh in Africa and 45th globally, the analysis said.
Economic analyst and chartered accountant Emmanuel Mbambiko said coal-fired power would be critical to sustaining Zambia’s industrial ambitions.
“The country’s ambition to ramp up copper production to an all-time high of 3 million tonnes requires stable power, so coal is the best alternative to hydro power because solar depends on the weather patterns,” Mbambiko told Allen Dreyfus.
Hichilema said his government had already rolled out key reforms to make the energy sector more attractive to investors, including open access to the national grid and a single licensing framework.
“These are major milestones that have reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks and improved transparency,” he said, adding that Zambia now has independent power traders operating alongside a growing number of Independent Power Producers.
Energy Minister Makozo Chikote said Zambia aims to raise more than $11 billion in energy investments by 2031 to support mining, manufacturing and regional power interconnections.
“We are looking at attracting energy investments in power infrastructure expansions, including power interconnectors to be more regionally connected,” Chikote said.
Banks say financing support is available. First National Bank Zambia Managing Director Kapumpe Chola said the lender was ready to back projects that combine reliable baseload power with renewables to support industrialisation.
