WINDHOEK, May 14 — Namibia has set a national target to connect more than 200,000 households to the grid by 2030 to improve the standard of living and promote inclusive economic development, a senior official said Tuesday.
During a national electrification acceleration engagement in northern Namibia, Ben Nangombe, executive director in the Ministry of Industries, Mines, and Energy, said that the goal is to ensure universal access to electricity by 2030.
The government will work closely with stakeholders to increase the pace of electricity connections, particularly in underserved rural areas, said Nangombe.
Nangombe emphasized the need to adopt efficient and affordable energy technologies, such as mini-grids and off-grid solar systems, to accelerate electrification and promote sustainability.
He also called for greater collaboration between the government, private sector, and international partners to ensure the success of Namibia’s energy goals.
To complement the household electrification drive, Namibia also plans to boost domestic electricity generation to 80 percent by 2030, up from the current 45 percent, according to the Electricity Control Board (ECB).
ECB Chief Executive Officer Robert Kahimise said new projects, including the 58 MW Anixas II heavy fuel oil plant and the 20 MW Khan Solar PV plant, have already come online while 38 more licensed generation projects remain under development.
Meanwhile, the ECB approved a 3.8 percent increase in NamPower’s bulk electricity tariff for the 2025/26 financial year, well below the 17.4 percent initially requested.
The Namibian government is providing 283 million Namibian dollars (about 15.5 million U. S. dollars) to keep the increase minimal for consumers, Kahimise added. (Xinhua)
