Tanzania earns regional energy recognition
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA’S success in expanding rural energy access and promoting clean cooking energy has earned regional recognition, with Zambia seeking lessons from the country’s achievements in delivering modern energy services to rural communities.
The development comes as a delegation from Zambia’s Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is undertaking a weeklong study tour of Tanzania to examine the policies, systems and implementation strategies behind the country’s progress in the energy sector.
The delegation on Monday held talks with officials from Tanzania’s Rural Energy Agency (REA) in Dar es Salaam to learn about the agency’s operations, institutional framework and achievements in accelerating access to electricity and clean cooking energy.
Speaking during the meeting, Tanzania’s REA Director General, Engineer Hassan Saidy, said the visit reflects growing recognition of the country’s achievements in expanding energy access across the country.
“They have come to learn from our experience, particularly the progress Tanzania has made in extending electricity and clean cooking energy services to rural communities,” Eng Saidy said.
He noted that the visit followed recommendations from development partners, including the World Bank, which recognised Tanzania’s achievements in rural energy development.
According to Eng Saidy, discussions focused on REA’s institutional structure, governance systems, project implementation approaches, financing mechanisms and strategies used to ensure energy services reach even the most remote areas.
The delegation is also expected to visit several energy projects to gain firsthand experience on how rural electrification and clean cooking initiatives are implemented, supervised and monitored.
“We have introduced them to various programmes under rural electrification and clean cooking energy. They will also visit project sites and, before they leave, we will review lessons learned and exchange experiences,” he said.
Eng Saidy stressed that the visit presents a valuable opportunity for both countries to learn from one another.
“Learning is a two-way process. While they have come to learn from us, we also expect to gain insights that can help strengthen our operations and accelerate our efforts,” he added.
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He said Tanzania is among the leading African countries in expanding electricity access to hard-to-reach communities while making significant progress in promoting clean cooking energy.
Chief Executive Officer of Zambia’s Rural Electrification Authority, Mr Alex Mbumba, commended Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy and REA for their openness and willingness to share experiences.
“We are grateful for the warm reception and valuable discussions. We have gained important insights into Tanzania’s institutional arrangements and how stakeholders work together to deliver results,” Mr Mbumba said.
He said the delegation was particularly impressed by Tanzania’s project implementation systems, contractor management practices and monitoring mechanisms.
“The discussions on project implementation have been especially inspiring. We have learned how projects are packaged, supervised and monitored, lessons that can help strengthen our own systems and improve service delivery,” he said.
Mr Mbumba noted that while Tanzania and Zambia face similar challenges in rural energy development, Tanzania’s experience offers practical solutions that can be adapted to improve service delivery.
He also praised Tanzania’s administrative structure, which extends from the national level to villages, saying it provides a strong foundation for planning and delivering services to rural communities.
He further highlighted REA’s broader mandate covering both rural electrification and clean cooking energy as an area Zambia could learn from.
“At the end of the day, our objective is the same—to improve the lives of people in rural communities through access to modern energy services,” he said.
