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Zambia’s private sector has called for immediate investment in the country’s power transmission infrastructure, warning that persistent weaknesses in the grid are limiting the efficient distribution of generated electricity.
North Western Energy Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Kamanga, said the private sector and new energy institutions had played an essential role in power generation and trading, but the transmission network remains a major constraint.
He was speaking during a panel discussion on Africa’s energy infrastructure needs at the just-ended 2025 Zambia Mining and Investment Insaka in Lusaka.
“The role of the private sector is very critical. The industry is largely private-driven, but what remains key is ensuring access to technology and strengthening short-haul power contracts,” he said, adding, “If we want to get more power into the markets, we need strong infrastructure and capable traders. Unfortunately, this area has not been prioritised, and it is holding us back.”
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Kamanga stressed that despite ongoing reforms in power generation and trading, Zambia still lacked confidence in the reliability of its electricity systems, calling for greater coordination among government, regulators, and investors.
“The market is evolving, and there are opportunities across generation, transmission, distribution, and trading — but unless we strengthen transmission, we cannot unlock the full potential of our energy sector,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, GreenCo Energy Zambia representative, Chikoma Kazunga, highlighted the growing opportunities for private participation in energy infrastructure, particularly in expanding the transmission network.
“We represent a lot of space for private players alongside our national utility,” Mr. Kazunga said. “It doesn’t just have to be about regional interconnectors. Even within Zambia, there’s huge value in building transmission links to areas where demand is growing. The private sector can and should take the lead in this space,” he added.
He noted that while the national utility will continue to maintain responsibility for grid reliability and safety, private investors have a vital role in driving innovation and financing transmission and distribution systems to meet Zambia’s growing power demand.
In response, ZESCO Head of Hydro Power Projects. Wesley Lwiindi said the utility was actively addressing transmission bottlenecks by constructing more interconnectors to enhance power trading.
He explained that the projects are being implemented in collaboration with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) to mitigate challenges affecting power exchange and reduce the impact of recent load shedding.
“The transmission bottlenecks are being addressed actively by building more power interconnectors,” Lwiindi said.
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