AfDB Approves $282 Million for Tanzania Island Clean Energy Access
The African Development Bank approved $282.07 million to install submarine power cables and clean cooking solutions across Zanzibar and Mafia Island over five years. The financing illustrates how multilateral lenders structure energy-access and clean-cooking projects, a model Indian development institutions and DISCOMs can study for last-mile electrification.
The AfDB approved $282.07 million to install high and medium voltage submarine power cables across Tanzania's island regions, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba) and Mafia Island. The five-year initiative will raise power capacity from 143 MW to 440 MW, benefiting 465,000 people through last-mile connections and supplying electric cooking appliances to over 335,000 Tanzanians. It forms part of Mission 300, a joint AfDB-World Bank initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, supporting Tanzania's 75% access target.
The project affects underserved island communities, women and youth entrepreneurs, and Zanzibar's tourism industry, which contributes about 30% of the island's GDP. Clean cooking rollout targets the 90% of the population currently dependent on firewood and charcoal, reducing indoor air pollution and biomass-linked emissions. Improved electricity is expected to catalyze youth-led MSMEs across digital services, hospitality, and personal care industries, with employment generated during both construction and operational phases.
Stakeholders should track the project's alignment with AfDB's Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033) and the Sustainable Energy for All agenda over the five-year delivery period. AfDB Country Manager Patricia Laverley noted expanded access will boost youth-led MSMEs and improve quality of life for women and girls through alternative fuels. Monitoring the capacity ramp from 143 MW to 440 MW and clean-cooking adoption against Tanzania's 2030 access goals will indicate delivery against the equity and climate targets.
Key figure — Financing approved: $282.07 million
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