Zambia, Botswana sign deal to boost cross-border power trade

Zambia and Botswana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will unlock cross-border electricity trade and strengthen regional energy cooperation.

The agreement, concluded on Thursday in Lusaka during the 2025 Energy Forum for Africa at Mulungushi International Conference centre, paves the way for power exports between the two countries, linking northern and southern Africa to wider markets.

The development comes a day after President Hakainde Hichilema urged African nations to accelerate regional power interconnectors, emphasising that stronger energy cooperation is vital for food security through irrigation and for driving industrial growth.

President Hichilema said Africa must dismantle “artificial boundaries” in the energy sector by investing in cross-border infrastructure that enables electricity sharing across regions.

The MoU was signed by Acting Energy Minister, Elvis Nkandu and Botswana’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo.

Nkandu described the pact as a milestone in regional collaboration, highlighting that it covered both electricity and petroleum products.

“We need to ensure that transmission infrastructure works both ways, while also expanding cooperation in downstream petroleum supplies,” he said.

Kenewendo welcomed the deal as a crucial step in strengthening the Southern African Power Pool.

“When our infrastructure is weak, the entire region is compromised. This MoU marks a shift in how we cooperate and grow together,” she said, calling for greater support towards feasibility studies, power plant construction, and distribution networks.

The Zambia-Botswana partnership is expected to fast-track President Hichilema’s vision and attract financing for energy projects that will benefit the broader southern African region.

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