2024 TECS Post-Show Report

Sponsors

Thank You To Our Sponsors & Host Utility

www.tanzania-ecs.com

The 5th Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit held at the Gran Melia in Arusha was an exceptional gathering, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Mount Meru. This well-organized conference brought together senior figures from the private sector and development finance institutions, offering excellent networking opportunities. It served as a pivotal platform for in-depth discussions on the critical challenges and growth opportunities within Tanzania’s energy sector. The conversations around the need for clearer procurement frameworks and the urgent investment in transmission infrastructure were especially insightful. I am grateful for the chance to have been part of such a meaningful exchange of ideas that promises to fuel the future of energy in Tanzania.

Aleem Tharani, Co-Head - Infrastructure Sector Group (Africa), Bowmans

Host Utility

Thank you from EnergyNet

We were delighted to hold the 5th edition of the Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit (TECS), from 31 January – 1 February 2024, in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of Arusha.

Taking place in the vibrant heart of the East African Community, this high-level business retreat provided the perfect location for two days of proactive and solution-oriented discussions.

Once again, the Summit was a truly international event. The 200+ delegates included more than 70+ of the world’s leading investors, alongside 50+ public sector representatives and 10 participants from Ministries of Energy across the East Africa region.

We were delighted to welcome such a diverse group of brilliant minds and passionate organisations to Arusha, all gathered with a shared vision of shaping the future of energy cooperation in the region.

We were also honoured to be joined by John Mongella, Regional Commissioner of Arusha, who delivered the opening address and highlighted Tanzania’s role at the forefront of the region’s electricity development.

Confirmed as one of the most stable and important investment destinations on the continent, Tanzania’s strong credit rating is something to be truly excited about for the energy sector.

The current population of Eastern Africa is just under 500 million, and in 2023 the region suffered its worst drought in 40 years. Electricity is key to navigating the impacts of climate change, and it’s hugely significant that the key players who have the ability to help solve those challenges were at TECS24.

The presence of the Deputy Secretary General of the East Africa Community (EAC) underscored our strong relationship and commitment to collaborating with the EAC to establish TECS as the premier event for energy access and sustainability in the region.

The participation of the Ministers of Energy from Malawi, Ethiopia, and Uganda reflected the truly regional nature of the meeting, and their unwavering commitment to advancing the energy agenda in their countries.

I would like to express our thanks to TANESCO, the host utility at the summit. Having collaborated with TANESCO for well for over a decade, it was fantastic to see them in attendance with such a strong delegation. Thanks also to our partners at TPDC and to the Ministry of Energy for its patronage of the summit.

Finally, I would like to thank our truly valued sponsors – African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), Bowmans, Meridiam and Rift Valley Energy, Power Africa, USAID, Stanbic Bank, the European Union, the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the United Nations Development Programme. Without their support the summit would not have been possible, and we are, as always, grateful for our continued partnerships and for their commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions in Tanzania and beyond.

We hope the valuable discussions, debates and networking which took place over the two days will lead to positive results over the coming months. We are delighted to announce that the EAC will become our official partner for next year’s summit which will once again take place in Arusha in February 2025 under the title – The East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (EA-ECS). Our unique partnership with EAC, the first of its kind, will cement TECS as the leading regional event for East Africa’s energy sector and we look forward to welcoming an even higher-profile collection of public sector delegates to the summit early next year.

George Hudson Portfolio Manager & Head of Corporate Development EnergyNet

With Thanks To Our Speakers

MINISTERS & HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

John Mongella, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

H.E. Andrea Ariik Malueth, Deputy Secretary General, East African Community (EAC)

Eng. Innocent G. Luoga, Commissioner of Energy & Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy, United Republic of Tanzania

H.E. Honorable Dr. Eng. Sultan Welle Ahmed, Energy Development State Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

H.E. Honorable Ibrahim Matola, Minister of Energy, Republic of Malawi

H.E. Honorable Okaasai Opolot Sidronious, State Minister of Energy, Republic of Uganda

PUBLIC SECTOR & UTILITIES

Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, Managing Director, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

John Mageni, Director Planning, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Patrice Tsakhara, Commercial Engineer, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Samwel Kessy, Manager Research, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Balthazar Nganikiye, Director General, Authority for Regulation of Water & Energy Sectors (AREEN), Republic of Burundi

James Karari Wahogo, Secretary General, Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP)

Geoffrey Mabea, Executive Secretary, Energy Regulators Association of East Africa (EREA)

Olga Utchavo Madeira, Director of the Renewable Energy Office, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), Republic of Mozambique

Lamine Diallo, Head of Natural Resources, Delegation of the European Union in Tanzania

James Andilile, Director General, EWURA, United Republic of Tanzania

Eng. Advera Mwijage, Director of Renewable Energy & Alternative Technologies, Rural Energy Agency (REA)

Alison Chikova, Chief Engineer - Planning & Operations, Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)

Eng. Atupele Kilindu, Researcher, Energy Engineer, Tanzania Industrial Research & Development Organisation (TIRDO)

Kenneth Mutaonga, Director of Exploration, Development & Production, TPDC, United Republic of Tanzania

Derick Moshi, Director of Planning & Investment, TPDC, United Republic of Tanzania

Dorian Mead, Energy Reform & Reconstruction Advisor, USAID

Imanuel Muro, CookFund Programme Manager, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Mizinga Chipuwa Moonga, Technical Executive Officer, ZESCO, Republic of Zambia

Cletus Nyachowe, International Business Consultant, ZESA Holdings, Republic of Zimbabwe

DFIS AND MULTILATERALS

Angela Nalikka, Manager Power Systems Solutions, AfDB

Céline Robert, Country Director, AFD Tanzania

Obbie Banda, Underwriter, Acting RLSF Coordinator, ATIDI

Tusekile Kibonde, Resident Underwriter, ATIDI

Maia Schuh, Investment Director, Project Finance, Infrastructure & Climate, BII

Blen Abebe, Africa Investment Advisor, DFC

Robert Voskuilen, Manager Energy, FMO

Richard Warugongo, Principal Investment Officer, IFC

Asano Seizaburo, Senior Representative in charge of Power, JICA

Antje Steiner, Director Regional Office East Africa, KFW DEG

Birgit Edlefsen, Investment Director, Norfund

Audrey Maignan, Regional Head for East Africa, Proparco

Marcus Williams, Global Head & Sector Manager – Energy & Extractive Industries, MIGA, The World Bank Group

Eyob Easwaran, Senior Advisor - Lending Operations, TDB

It was an eye-opener to be part of the 5th Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit. When we are talking about our common goals with fellow ministers, gatherings like this are crucial to iron out pending issues and move forward! When looking to work with potential investors in the room, what we need is flexibility to move faster and enable positive change for these countries quicker. Thus, what a regional summit like this one facilitates is faster collaboration.

H.E. Honorable Ibrahim Matola, Minister of Energy, Republic of Malawi

Attendee Breakdown

Attendees

70+ Financial Institutions & Investors

50+ Public Sector Representatives

10

200+ Participants from Regional Ministries of Energy

The Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit was a high value summit. I found the sessions informative, the panelists were high quality, and the participants were key players in the energy sector which made it great for networking. The summit also provided enough breaks and social activities to allow for in depth discussions with new and old connections.

Catherine

Nyambala, Kenya and East Africa Technical Lead, Power Africa Empowering East & Central Africa (EECA), RTI International

Attendee Breakdown

TECS 2024 has been a very rich and insightful event, thanks to the successful blending of top-management and senior executives from public stakeholders, private organizations and DFIs. All parties have demonstrated a strong willingness to identify and address the bottlenecks faced by international investors when tackling the Tanzanian power market to support the government Master Plan and unlock significant opportunities. This conference has been a great place to think beyond the pre-designed concepts and frameworks, to find solutions adapted to the Tanzanian energy market. This is all we were looking for.

Matthieu Odoux, Senior Associate, Meridiam

Agenda

Day One: Tuesday 31 January

EnergyNet Welcome Remarks

Opening Keynote Speech: John Mongella, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

Presentation & Interview: Tanzania’s Economic Outlook & Energy Development Potential

Ministerial Roundtable: Building a Regional Power Market

Keynote Presentation: TANESCO

Keynote Presentation: TPDC

Panel Discussion: Oman’s Green Hydrogen Strategy & East Africa’s Plans - What Lessons Can Be Exchanged?

Panel Discussion: Connecting the Dots: Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Transmission Projects

DFI Roundtable: Speeding Up & De-risking the Process to Financial Close

Pre-Gala Dinner Drinks

Ministerial Gala Dinner

Day Two: Wednesday 1 February

Utilities Roundtable: Regional Collaboration for Energy Development

Interactive Boardroom: Sustainable Energy Projects for Mining

Interactive Boardroom: Fulfilling Tanzania’s Renewable Energy Potential

Interactive Boardroom: Preparing for Tanzania’s Gas-to-Power Projects

Interactive Boardroom: Building a Regional Interconnection

Hosted Workshop: EU, UNDP & UNCDF: Investing in Efficiency: Tanzania’s Clean Cooking Revolution & the Power of Innovation

Interactive Boardroom: Concessional Blended Finance for Sustainable Project Development

Interactive Boardroom: National Transmission: The Roadmap

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Press Figures

Press

2024 Session Highlights

Day One: Wednesday 31 January

Opening Keynote Speech: Tanzania’s Commitment as a Regional Energy Hub

Speakers: John Mongella, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

The 5th Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit was honoured to be addressed by John Mongella, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, who expressed his sincere gratitude to Ambassadors, government representatives, key sector stakeholders and delegates for taking time to attend, assuring all that such relationships were not taken for granted.

He encouraged those visiting for the first time to visit iconic places such as Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro and Serengeti National Parks, pointing out that aside from a home to enormous energy resources, Tanzania is a home of natural wonders.

The Commissioner pointed out that the agenda was a great opportunity to deliberate and learn from each other and expressed a fervent hope that the summit would result in new relationships and partnerships.

He noted that that without adequate, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supplies, socio-economic transformation cannot be attained, stressing the importance for Tanzania to capitalize on both national resources and regional integration in order to generate economic growth.

Mr Mongella challenged the private sector to take up market development opportunities, pointing out that public resources alone were not enough to secure unimpeded trade across Tanzania and the rest of the region, and emphasising that transboundary energy infrastructure facilities could generate significant trading opportunities.

He thanked EnergyNet for all the hard work in planning and organizing the summit and applauded the sponsors, commenting on the importance of the summit in raising awareness, promoting investment, and promoting pivotal conversations on how the public and private sectors can collaborate in effective partnerships to accelerate project development.

With a reiteration of his invitation to travel and explore the country, Mr Mongella expressed, once again, his honour and privilege to welcome everyone to the 5th Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit.

It is critical for us to promote the development of our energy infrastructure projects, particularly private sector investment, ownership and partnership.

John Mongella, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

2024 Session Highlights

Day One: Wednesday 31 January

Ministerial Roundtable: Building a Regional Power Market

Chairperson: Obbie Banda, Underwriter, Acting RLSF Coordinator, ATIDI

Opening Remarks: H.E. Andrea Ariik Malueth, Deputy Secretary General, East African Community (EAC)

Participating Ministers:

H.E. Honourable Ibrahim Matola, Minister of Energy, Republic of Malawi

H.E. Honorable Dr. Eng. Sultan Welle Ahmed, Energy Development State Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

H.E. Honourable Okaasai Opolot Sidronious, State Minister of Energy, Republic of Uganda

Eng. Innocent G. Luoga, Commissioner of Energy & Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy, United Republic of Tanzania

How is the region preparing for energy collaboration and electricity trade? What regional energy projects are in the pipeline and how will countries work together to bring these to life?

As chair, Obbie Banda set the scene for a discussion on how the region is preparing for energy collaboration and electricity trade. H.E. Andrea Ariik Malueth, Deputy Secretary General, East African Community (EAC) talked about the diverse energy sources in the region, covering oil, gas, hydropower, solar, wind and biogas. He pointed out that, despite advances, the majority of people in the region rely on traditional biogas and energy consumption is among the lowest globally. Most importantly, he noted that the EAC is building a regional power hub, establishing East Africa as a centre of excellence for renewable energy. He commented that the current regional capacity balance needs a concerted effort to emphasise grid modernisation and expressed his confidence that, with cooperation together, the EAC would be set up as a provider of energy to others.

A number of regional projects are underway, including the Malawi Tanzania transmission line which will link Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), allowing power trade from Northern to Southern Africa and creating the longest vital transmission corridor in the world. The opportunities and the finance are there. There are also opportunities in Zambia for transmission and power sub stations, and contractors are already working. Opportunities were also mentioned in projects with Kenya and Ethiopia. It was noted that Tanzania and EAC are supporting the African Clean Cooking Programme to shift to green energy, a programme that will involve all African countries.

H.E. Honourable Ibrahim Matola, Minister of Energy, Republic of Malawi, spoke of challenges in a country where hydropower is relied on for most of the country’s baseloads. He said that it was up to everyone to change the directive of Africa, pointing out that Africa is rich in natural resources and inviting investors to come as action was needed. He commented on the Mozambique-Malawi (Moma)

We know energy is the most important parameter for any kind of growth. We cannot think of growth, we cannot think of prosperity, we cannot think of development, without first thinking of energy.

H.E. Honorable Dr. Eng. Sultan Welle Ahmed, Energy Development State Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

2024 Session Highlights

Day One: Wednesday 31 January

transmission interconnection project, envisaging a West Africa power pool that could go as far as Morocco and be in a position to trade power into Europe and other territories. He reaffirmed the need for sustainable power, affordable and reliable power for the people.

H.E. Honourable Okaasai Opolot Sidronious, State Minister of Energy, Republic of Uganda spoke about the potential in renewables, and the country’s goal of meeting objectives of universal coverage. The country is looking at potential resources for energy, especially clean energy, carrying out studies into geothermal, and encouraging investors into solar. By 2030 the country expects to move away from hydro to a base of nuclear. He said that his initial task is to make sure transmission and distribution are strengthened in the country and will then be able to talk about trade.

H.E. Honorable Dr. Eng. Sultan Welle Ahmed, Energy Development State Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia commented that it is impossible to think of growth and prosperity without sustainable and reliable energy resources, and that more power needs to be generated to change the world together. Ethiopia requires investment, which is why the country, which was previously closed, is now opening its doors for cooperation with both the private and the public sector.

Part of the role of the EAC is to cooperate with partners on mapping. The transboundary Rusumo Hydropower Project with Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi was noted, as well as the gas pipeline project between Tanzania and Uganda and the East African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE) hosted by the University of Kampala in Uganda. The EAC is a regional block, now joined by Somalia as its eighth Partner State, and a community vision to grow and provide a single market for East Africa.

With regard to regional projects, the H.E. Honourable Okaasai Opolot Sidronious talked about Uganda’s long experience with projects round the Kagera River, interconnections with Tanzania, the broader community, DRC and Rwanda – and future hopes to link power generation in Uganda with Southern Africa. He thanked the EAC for its expansion and looked forward to the future.

I’m very glad to be part of the Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit, which has brought many ministers together, many people from the public sector, but also investors – which is very, very important.

H.E.

Honourable Ibrahim Matola, Minister of Energy, Republic of Malawi

2024 Session Highlights

Day One: Wednesday 31 January

Keynote Presentation: TANESCO

Speaker: Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, Managing Director, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, Managing Director, TANESCO demonstrated clearly how TANESCO is leading market confidence to engage private sector participation in energy.

As the utility company in Tanzania, he explained TANESCO’s role and core functions across generation, transmission, distribution and operations, highlighting that, in terms of the private sector, TANESCO is now fully capable of fulfilling its financial obligations and is able to service its loans from financial institutions. He outlined that, as of December 2023, maximum demand was 1,482 MW, with over 1,889 MW total installed capacity from a mix of energy sources. The Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Plant (JNHPP) will add an installed ongoing capacity of 2,115 MW.

The plan for generation is to reach 5GW by 2025 and 10 GW by 2035, to be fully integrated to EAPP & SAPP by 2025, and a net exporter by 2033, presenting a route for investors and other private sector players to work with TANESCO. Mr Nyamo-Hanga said the company looked to improve the security and reliability of power supply and connection inside and outside the country. He also looks to engage with IPT’s to evacuate power to industry, particularly to mining centres in the country not using power from the grid.

As well as restoring and maintaining the distribution network to world-class level by 2030, TANESCO plans to increase national connectivity to 50% by 2025, and 70% by 2035. Mr Nyamo-Hanga outlined short-term transmission projects across hydro, diesel, solar, gas and wind, leaving space for private sector participation and showing how renewables would play a part. For the mid-term, from 2026 to 2035, it was noted that PPP power generation opportunities include a wide range of project areas, with solar, wind, hydropower, gas and geothermal all on the agenda, nuclear as a possible new area of interest, and a number of SPP projects.

Mr Nyamo-Hanga highlighted TANESCO’s fund modelling investment plan, stressing how important electricity was to the growth of every country. He closed by inviting conversations and encouraging private sector participation through IPPs and PPPs.

The government’s plan is to increase electricity generation to 5,000MW by 2025.

Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, MD, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

2024 Session Highlights

Day One: Wednesday 31 January

Keynote Presentation: Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC)

Speaker: Kenneth Mutaonga, Director of Exploration, Development & Production, TPDC, United Republic of Tanzania

TPDC is the national oil company of Tanzania. With TANESCO as its biggest customer, Kenneth Mutaonga, Director of Exploration, Development & Production at TPDC, explained that TECS24 was a new forum for TPDC, giving the company the opportunity to be part of a broader energy conference.

Mr Mutaonga gave an overview of the oil and gas sectors, explaining that that his role is to make sure there is enough gas and also oil to serve the economy. He referenced gas demand vs production forecast, noting that demand will keep going up. The current discovered natural gas/ production capacity from the Mnazi Bay and Songo Songo fields totals 245mmscfd, with significant revenues, and TPDC’s exploration database indicates 96 total drilled deep wells, with a success rate of approximately 76%. The company has three subsidiaries: GASCO, which deals with the construction of oil and gas infrastructure and the operation and maintenance of natural gas facilities; TANOIL, representing the Government’s interest in oil trading in the country; and TPDC Likong’o LNG Limited, the investment vehicle for TPDC’s participation in the LNG project.

TPDC’s strategic exploration and production projects were outlined by Mr Mutaonga. Gas projects include Mnazi Bay North – where the company is keen to partner with a developer, West Songo Songo, and Block 4/1B and 4/1C, with oil projects in Eyasi Wembere and Lake Tanganyika. Projects with strategic partners include onshore gas development with ARA Petroleum in the Ruvuma Block, and the LNG Project in Block 1,2 & 4.

Mr Mutaonga highlighted the Ntorya gas development project, where TPDC has the responsibility to build the pipeline, saying that, as a partner to TANESCO, this is the biggest project the company is pursuing at the moment.

With regard to international ventures, he talked through the enormous potential and importance of the Tanzania LNG international export project, which is expected to have a total production capacity of 15 million metric tons per year, noting that a proportion of output has to be for domestic consumption. In partnership with Shell, Equinor, Exxon Mobil, Pavilion Energy and Medco Energi, the project has an estimated cost of USD 42 billion, is at Ministry level for approval and set to be signed this year. Mr Mutaonga also touched on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and closed by saying that TPDC looks upon Tanzania as an energy hub, not just a power hub.

We look at Tanzania as an energy hub, not just a power hub.

Kenneth Mutaonga, Director of Exploration, Development & Production, TPDC

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Utilities Roundtable: Regional Collaboration for Energy Development

Chairperson: Aleem Tharani, Partner, Bowmans

Speakers:

John Mageni, Director Planning, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Olga Utchavo Madeira, Director of the Renewable Energy Office, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), Republic of Mozambique

Mizinga Chipuwa Moonga, Technical Executive Officer, ZESCO, Republic of Zambia

Cletus Nyachowe, International Business Consultant, ZESA Holdings, Republic of Zimbabwe

The expert speakers provided insights focusing on improving power trade in East Africa. John Mageni, Director of Planning at TANESCO kicked off the session by underlining the pressing demand for an additional 200MW and advocated for increased direct investment in the energy sector.

Olga Utchavo Madeira, Director of Renewable Energy in Mozambique, emphasized the importance of direct negotiations and participation in the Renewable Energy Auction Program. She also shed light on ongoing projects, notably a 450MW gas power plant. This showcased Mozambique’s commitment to embracing various avenues for sustainable energy.

Cletus Nyachowe, International Business Consultant at ZESA Holdings, Zimbabwe, provided detailed insights into the significance of investing in solar and wind energy. He also advocated for direct power sales and tariff reduction for specific minerals, aligning Zimbabwe’s strategy with the broader goal of regional collaboration.

Mizinga Chipuwa Moonga, Technical Executive Officer in Zambia, delved into initiatives promoting cost-reflective returns and improving cash flows. He highlighted key projects, including the Zambia-Tanzania sidewinder and a 200km transmission line financed by the World Bank, showcasing Zambia’s commitment to cross-border energy infrastructure development.

Overall, the session offered a nuanced exploration of the challenges and opportunities for regional utilities, promoting a collaborative approach to advance energy development in East Africa.

Author: Sharon Mukami, Hydrogen Nexus Hub

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Interactive Boardroom: Sustainable Energy Projects for Mining

Chairperson: Humphrey Simba, Director, Supply Chain Advisory, ASNL Advisory Limited

Speakers: Kwame Parker, Partner & Investment Director, Frontier Energy

John de Vries, MD & CEO, Black Rock Mining

Festo Bartholome, Partner, Deloitte & Touche, East Africa

Eyob Easwaran, Senior Advisor - Lending Operations, TDB

Jason Brewer, CEO, Marula Mining

Mining is location specific, usually remote, and needs huge investment. As a complex business, susceptible to commodity prices, once power is added in to the mix the complexity grows.

Eyob Easwaran, Senior Advisor - Lending Operations, TDB discussed captive power as a solution that offers less risk from a finance point of view, taking the example of Zambia and suggesting that a real mining economy allows for private utilities, or provides incentives for captive power to be in place.

With energy and power essential to the sector, support to finance projects is essential, with all parties working together to find a solution, and the awareness that the appetite for risk can differ. Hybrid solutions were also discussed as an easier to finance option. Kwame Parker, Partner & Investment Director, Frontier Energy, pointed out that in Kenya there is access to transmission lines, so that if anything happens to a mine, it is possible to identify other customers to wheelpower to, making it easier for investment and for projects to be financed.

John de Vries, MD & CEO Black Rock Mining, emphasised the importance of social infrastructure, extending the grid, and the need for clean energy. Oman was discussed, where infrastructure is provided by the utilities. Private transmission lines as could be a consideration to ensure the mines get cleaner energy and move away from fossil fuels.

With questions on local currency and blended finance, Festo Bartholome, Partner, Deloitte & Touche, East Africa commented that this could be matched in financing with local currency and paid first. Local investors could be encouraged, although the investor might have to be happy with more pain up front.

It was agreed that everything to allow private investment needs to be encourages, including simplifying policy. Lessons from China were discussed, where the infrastructure supports mining. The need to be competitive and create value in a high-risk sector, with certainty of power, was seen as essential.

A representative from TANESCO was on the floor to say there are plans to supply power to mining areas and conversations on finance are ongoing. It was agreed this was a good start and that government support was needed to accelerate the conversations as, with power, the sector can be truly competitive.

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Interactive Boardroom: Preparing for Tanzania’s Gas-to-Power Projects

Chairperson: Catherine Nyambala, East Africa & Kenya Technical Lead, Power Africa Empowering East & Central Africa (EECA), RTI International

Speakers: Derick Moshi, Director of Planning & Investment, TPDC, United Republic of Tanzania

Adly Kafafy, VP Africa & New ventures, TAQA Arabia

Gilman Kasiga, Country Manager - Tanzania, GE Vernova

Bizimana Ntuyabaliwe, Deputy MD, PanAfrican Energy Tanzania

The session delved into the preparation for Tanzania’s gas-to-power projects provided a comprehensive overview of the nation’s ambitious role in regional energy connectivity. Tanzania, with numerous projects in the pipeline, showcased its commitment to transforming its gas resources into a significant power source.

Experts emphasized the need for meticulous preparation, outlining key factors for success. Robust infrastructure development emerged as a focal point, ensuring efficient gas extraction, transportation, and power generation. The significance of a well-defined regulatory framework and transparent policies was underscored to attract investments and foster a conducive business environment.

Collaborative partnerships, both domestically and internationally, were highlighted as crucial for leveraging expertise and resources. This detailed discussion portrayed Tanzania’s strategic approach in becoming a regional energy player, actively contributing to the region’s sustainable energy landscape.

Author: Sharon Mukami, Hydrogen Nexus Hub

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Chairperson: Rogness Swai, Energy Program Specialist & Advisor

Speakers: Jeremy Minel, Business Development Deputy Director, Artelia

Marvin Bell, East Africa Director, Meridiam

Geoffrey Ronoh, Director, OFGEN

Maxime Savinelli, Project Manager, Akuo

Antje Steiner, Director Regional Office East Africa, KFW DEG

Edouard Wenseleers, MD, Business Development East Africa, Globeleq

Interactive Boardroom: Fulfilling Tanzania’s Renewable Energy Potential

The interactive boardroom session on fulfilling Tanzania’s renewable energy needs underlined the strategic imperative of bringing key projects to financial close. Addressing the nation’s growing demand for renewable energy, the session navigated through crucial aspects of project development.

The speakers delved into the intricacies of financing, emphasizing the need for innovative funding mechanisms and partnerships to overcome financial hurdles. The discussion also highlighted the role of regulatory frameworks in creating an attractive investment climate. Specific attention was given to aligning projects with Tanzania’s renewable energy potential, maximizing sustainability.

By fostering an interactive dialogue, the boardroom session aimed to forge pathways to successfully bring Tanzania’s renewable energy projects to fruition, ensuring a sustainable and resilient energy landscape for the nation.

Author: Sharon Mukami, Hydrogen Nexus Hub

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Interactive Boardroom: Building a Regional Interconnection

Chairperson: Farid Mohamed, Director, Pipal Ltd

Speakers: John Mageni, Director Planning, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Alison Chikova, Chief Engineer - Planning & Operations, Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)

James Karari Wahogo, Secretary General, Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP)

Geoffrey Mabea, Executive Secretary, Energy Regulators Association of East Africa (EREA)

Tanzania is incredibly rich in gas as shown by the numerous discoveries in more than six large on shore and offshore regions what are the opportunities and plans for its use.

In the interactive boardroom session focused on building a regional interconnection through harnessing Tanzania’s abundant gas resources, experts delved into the myriad opportunities and strategic plans for utilization. Tanzania’s substantial gas discoveries in over six large onshore and offshore regions set the stage for a comprehensive exploration of its potential.

The discussion honed in on identifying opportunities for regional collaboration, emphasizing the transformative role gas can play in fostering energy connectivity. The session explored plans for leveraging these resources efficiently, considering both domestic and cross-border implications.

The dialogue underscored the significance of creating a cohesive strategy to maximize the socio-economic benefits of Tanzania’s gas wealth, positioning the nation as a key player in the regional energy landscape through effective interconnection and utilization initiatives.

Author: Sharon Mukami, Hydrogen Nexus Hub

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Hosted Workshop: EU, UNCDF & UNDP: Investing in Efficiency: Tanzania’s Clean Cooking Revolution & the Power of Innovation

Chairperson: Lamine Diallo, Head of Natural Resources, Delegation of the European Union in Tanzania

Speakers: Samwel Kessy, Manager Research, TANESCO, United Republic of Tanzania

Eng. Advera Mwijage, Director of Renewable Energy & Alternative Technologies, Rural Energy Agency (REA)

Imanuel Muro, CookFund Programme Manager, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Rehema Mbalamwezi, Vice President Operations, UpEnergy

Chris Mbori, CEO, Eenovators Limited

Eng. Atupele Kilindu, Researcher, Energy Engineer, Tanzania Industrial Research & Development Organisation (TIRDO)

Around 80% of Tanzanians have access to electricity but only about 9% use it to cook. This is partly down to a misconception that electricity uses more energy and is more expensive to use; and partly the misconception that food cooked traditionally is more delicious than one cooked on gas or electricity.

The government has not backed down on its targets. The Rural Energy Agency (REA) together with Tanzania Industrial Research & Development Organization (TIRDO) and UNCDF play a vital role in researching, educating and empowering Tanzanians, especially in rural areas, on cleaner, affordable cooking.

Eng. Advera Mwijage highlighted the challenges of awareness and the importance of shifting people’s mindset on cooking methods before bringing in technology. Different programmes are ongoing, with a big requirement for finance.Imanuel Muro, CookFund Programme Manager for UNCDF, thanked the EU for its sizeable funding, which has no restrictions on technology, and said the private sector had a huge opportunity to participate.

UpEnergy is using carbon financing to generate capital in order to approach customers with a low price, said Rehema Mbalamwezi, Vice President, Operations. She highlighted innovations, such as digital measurements on tech, that can show people that cooking with electricity is not expensive.

Chris Mbori, CEO Eenovators, agreed that cost is a big driver for change and said that auditing in large institutions such as hospitals, schools and hotels was a route to uncover cost opportunities for clean cooking.

It was agreed that the standards and efficiency of equipment needs to be addressed, particularly with imports. This is vital to consumer confidence and to avoid expending unnecessary energy and wasting electricity – a critical issue for TANESCO.

With a target of 80% clean cooking energy usage by 2032, the private sector was encouraged to join the government in its initiatives, with expectations for valuable conversations to follow.

Session coverage in collaboration with Tanisa Lekoko, National Youth Caucus Kenya

2024 Session Highlights

Day Two: Thursday 1 February

Interactive Boardroom: Concessional Blended Finance for Sustainable Project Development

Chairperson: Jonathan Berman, MD, Autonomi Capital

Speakers: Blen Abebe, Africa Investment Advisor, DFC

Tusekile Kibonde, Resident Underwriter, ATIDI

Leo Schiefermueller, Africa Director, RP Global

Michael Gratwicke, CEO, Rift Valley Energy

Dennis Keya, Country Manager Kenya, EDF

Exuperius Tax, Business Development Manager, InfraCo Africa

Cooperation between governments, IPP DFI, multilateral and commercial banks to achieve Tanzania’s sustainable development plans.

The interactive boardroom session on “Concessional Blended Finance for Sustainable Project Development” centred on fostering cooperation between governments, Independent Power Producers (IPP), Development Financial Institutions (DFI), multilateral, and commercial banks to realize Tanzania’s sustainable development goals.

The discussion underscored the significance of leveraging concessional blended finance to fund projects that align with the nation’s development plans. Experts emphasized the collaborative efforts required to blend different types of financing for sustainable projects, promoting a balance between financial viability and social and environmental impact.

Michael Gratwicke, CEO, Rift Valley Energy, said that RVE’s first initiative 15 years ago had benefitted from blended finance and that this had been key to RVE’s success, reducing both the cost of risk and the cost of funding. Leo Schiefermueller, Africa Director, RP Global expressed his view that some form of blended finance was always required in order to make projects more commercially viable. While Dennis Keya commented that EDF, with a hydro project in development, was a key beneficiary, working as a PPP where the government was a stakeholder. Blen Abebe, DFC, said that while their guarantees used to be just for DFIs, the company is now thinking of offering guarantees to developers as well. She also noted that the higher the impact, the higher the risk DFC can take.

By bringing together diverse stakeholders, including government bodies and financial institutions, the interactive boardroom aimed to chart a strategic course for harnessing concessional blended finance to propel Tanzania’s sustainable development initiatives forward.

Author: Sharon Mukami, Hydrogen Nexus Hub

Signing of the Partnership Between the East African Community (EAC) & EnergyNet for the East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit 2025

The EAC has partnered with EnergyNet to help fulfil its pledge to bolster the region’s energy sector, citing a dedicated regional event as the perfect platform to spark debate and change.

An agreement was signed in Washington DC confirming the patronage of the EAC for EnergyNet’s future editions of the Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit (TECS).

The partnership has a primary objective of bolstering the region’s energy sector and enhancing collaboration among and between all East African countries.

This aligns perfectly with the EAC’s priorities for 20222026, which include increasing visibility, stakeholder knowledge and awareness around the region’s power challenges.

To help drive this mission, the partnership with EAC was announced at the two-day Powering Africa Summit, held in the U.S. capital on 5-6 March, alongside the rebranding of TECS into a broader, regional investors summit from 2025 under the title – The East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (EA-ECS)

“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to shaping a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable and politically united East Africa,” commented H.E. Honourable Andrea Malueth, Deputy Secretary General, East African Community Secretariat.

“Energy is a pillar for development and growth and is crucial for the functioning of the economies of the EAC Partner States. The East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit will serve as the ideal platform for advancing projects and bringing tangible changes in the industry.”

The EAC is the regional intergovernmental organisation formed by its eight partner states, with more than 300 million citizens who stand to benefit from this alignment of strategy and positive intention, as both the EAC and EnergyNet seek to promote critical infrastructure projects and C&I investment opportunities across both urban and rural communities.

Simon Gosling, Managing Director, EnergyNet said, “The East African Community (EAC) is the heart of one of the fastest growing regions in the world. A massive influx of investment creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for governments across the region to unite behind this transformational moment which can lift tens of millions of people into the middle income and above bracket. “Energy infrastructure and investment is the critical catalyst, and we will address this with public and private sector stakeholders through our Official Partnership with the East African Community.

“The future is bright; the future is electrified...”

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