Lusaka, Zambia – Energy Minister Makozo Chikote has announced a major reduction in electricity connection fees, lowering the cost from K4,846 to a subsidized rate of K300. The new pricing takes effect on December 22, 2025.
The announcement was made during the launch of the Rural Electrification Authority’s (REA) Accelerated Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) initiative.
Minister Chikote stated that the 2026 application window for the subsidy targets 100,000 new connections next year. He instructed REA and ZESCO to widely publicize the initiative, reinforcing the government’s goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2030.
The effort is part of the $200 million World Bank-funded ASCENT-Zambia program, which aims to connect over 1.6 million Zambians to electricity and clean cooking technologies within five years.
World Bank Country Manager Dr. Achim Fock noted that the ASCENT initiative unites the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, and other partners to support electricity access for 300 million people across sub-Saharan Africa.
REA Acting Chief Executive Officer Alex Mumba commended the government for the policy and financing reforms that enabled the program.
Sheer desparation hoping to recover lost ground
Even if its free you will be connected to nothing because of loadshedding.
The things happening in Zambia. Awe mwe.
They cant supply power to the cleints they have now they want to add another 1.6 million people to the system , even 100000 in 2026 , cheaper to give each house a few solar panels, inverter and a battery or 2. cheaper than building thousands of km of power lines, towers , poles and transformers, unit meters, living in the 1970s. enjoy your 1 hour of power a day.