Energy minister, Bogolo Kenewendo this week told parliament that high connection costs are limiting the pace of rural electrification, even as government maintains a longer-term commitment to expanding access.
Kenewendo said it remains economically unviable in some areas to extend electricity infrastructure, particularly to ploughing fields and sparsely populated zones where demand is low and distances are significant.
The minister’s response to MP Taolo Lucas underscores a structural challenge facing the country’s electrification drive: balancing universal access ambitions with the high capital costs of grid expansion. Officials indicated that, for now, reducing connection costs in such areas is not feasible, pointing instead to a phased approach.
Kenewendo said that the government will continue to extend electricity access progressively, while encouraging those with financial capacity to co-invest in connections where possible. The model reflects a shift toward shared funding mechanisms in cases where public investment alone may not be sufficient to justify rollout.
In parallel, the government is also focusing on institutional capacity building. ‘A new electricity-related training and certification programme has received approval from the Human Resource Development Council, with curriculum development at an advanced stage. The course is expected to combine theoretical and practical components, aimed at strengthening technical skills in the energy sector’, Kenewendo said.
Meanwhile the dual approach, targeted infrastructure expansion alongside skills development, highlights the government’s attempt to address both supply-side limitations and workforce readiness.
While electrification remains a policy priority, the update signals that near-term progress will likely be uneven, shaped by cost realities and the need for alternative financing models in low-density areas.