Laying the Foundations for Southern Africa’s Energy Future
At the 2023 COP28 conference in Dubai, world leaders convened to address pressing climate and energy challenges, committing to drive progress on multiple fronts. Leaders, trying to balance energy security, economic growth, and environmental progress pledged to triple global renewable energy capacity and to double energy efficiency by 2030.
In Southern Africa, Power Africa’s strategic partnerships and innovative programs lay the groundwork for a future focused on increased energy access. Two key initiatives in Eswatini and Mozambique highlight these efforts.
Eswatini: Paving the Way for Energy Independence
Eswatini, a small nation nestled between Mozambique and South Africa, is on a mission to achieve energy independence by 2033. Currently, the country imports around 55 percent of its electricity from coal-fired facilities in South Africa¹, the Southern African Power Pool, and neighboring Mozambique. With demand anticipated to double by 2050, Eswatini’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy partnered with Power Africa to develop an Energy Transition Roadmap.
This roadmap provides a strategic approach to achieving energy independence, thereby reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels by developing up to one GW of capacity predominantly from renewable energy sources by 2050 through three critical levers:
- State-led development: Securing financing for feasibility studies and grid upgrades to lay the groundwork for future growth;
- Public-private partnerships: Improving bidding processes and market engagement to attract more private investment and stimulate competition; and
- Co-generation: Strengthening regulations to ensure fair grid access and expanded biomass-fired co-generation capacity, promoting a more diverse energy mix.
An accompanying investment plan, developed with Power Africa’s support, outlines strategies to enhance procurement processes and introduce investor-friendly incentives. Completed in September 2024, the investment plan aims to: improve reliability of energy supply; reduce electricity-related greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2050, and stimulate economic growth, positioning Eswatini as an attractive destination for clean energy investments and creating new opportunities for businesses and communities.
Mozambique: Accelerating a Clean Energy Transition
In early 2024, Mozambique approved an ambitious $80 billion energy transition strategy, aiming to achieve universal electricity access and a green energy sector by 2050. The strategy includes 7.5 GW of new solar and 2.5 GW of new wind capacity. However, Mozambique stakeholders noted that without a clear implementation path or project pipeline, progress would likely not progress.
To address these challenges, Power Africa collaborated with the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME) to develop the Mozambique Energy Transition Accelerator (META). This semi-autonomous hub, embedded within MIREME, is designed to expedite project development and attract investment. While not an independent legal entity, META’s centralized role offers Mozambique an efficient model for promoting transparency and streamlining project execution. The project delivery model has been successfully deployed by numerous governments to advance complex development programs, facilitating coordination of disparate agencies and simplifying engagement with investors.
In 2024, a META pilot initiative with MIREME and Mozambique’s national electric utility identified a $1.9 billion portfolio of 16 solar projects, which could provide 1.9 GW of new energy. Building on this momentum, Power Africa aims to have META fully operational in 2025, positioning Mozambique as a regional leader in progressing clean energy transactions.
A Unified Path Forward
Power Africa’s work in Eswatini and Mozambique demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships and innovative programs in advancing clean energy. Through its technical assistance programs, Power Africa brings world-class expertise to policymakers, regulators, and utility officials in Southern Africa, helping to achieve tangible progress toward a future where the region’s people have access to affordable, reliable, and sustainably generated electricity.
These initiatives align with global sustainability goals, offering significant investment opportunities that can drive economic growth and increase the resilience of the region’s energy sector. By supporting the development of sustainable energy, Power Africa is helping to create a brighter, more prosperous future for the people of Southern Africa.
[1] Based on South Africa’s Energy Trade Report 2023.
Learn more about Power Africa’s work in Eswatini and Mozambique.
