In a major milestone for Tanzania’s rural electrification efforts, Deputy Minister for Energy, Judith Kapinga, announced that 99% of the nation’s villages have been connected to electricity, marking a new chapter in the government’s quest to improve living standards, education, and economic growth for rural communities.
Speaking in Parliament, Kapinga credited the achievement to strategic investments by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), a critical arm of Tanzania's infrastructure strategy.
Kapinga’s announcement comes as Tanzania pushes forward with Vision 2025, aiming to transform into a middle-income economy through extensive investment in infrastructure and social services. “The government, through REA, is continuing to implement various projects to provide electricity to rural areas. As of October 2024, approximately 99% of all villages have been reached with electricity,” she said.
The Deputy Minister highlighted that the government has prioritized institutions essential to community welfare schools, health facilities, religious institutions, and water infrastructure.
By September 2024, over 12,900 schools, 6,700 health facilities, 8,800 places of worship, and nearly 30,000 business locations had received electricity through REA.
Kapinga emphasized that the electrification of these institutions has a transformative effect on the daily lives of rural Tanzanians, enabling students to learn in well-lit classrooms, allowing health facilities to store critical medicines and vaccines, and ensuring clean water supply with electric pumps.
The electrification of social institutions has also paved the way for improved digital education resources in schools, reliable healthcare services, and stable support for small businesses.
Kapinga underscored the government’s dedication to supporting rural businesses and stimulating local economies. The provision of electricity to 30,000 business locations in rural areas aligns with Tanzania’s strategy to promote local employment and reduce urban migration.
Access to reliable power enables local entrepreneurs to engage in diverse economic activities, from agriculture to small-scale manufacturing. The move could attract future investments, fostering rural economic diversification and creating job opportunities within local communities.
To sustain the progress made, Kapinga assured Parliament that the government would continue to oversee REA’s operations, emphasizing that public institutions would remain a priority as electrification expands further.
She also addressed public concerns regarding connection costs, clarifying that essential costs, including meters, wiring, and labor, remain standardized, ensuring consistency and affordability for households in rural areas.
“We will ensure REA continues to prioritize public institutions once rural electrification projects are complete, making electricity more accessible and equitable for citizens,” she affirmed.
Despite the 99% coverage milestone, the remaining 1% of villages without electricity are likely situated in remote or geographically challenging areas.
Electrifying these villages may require alternative solutions, such as off-grid systems or solar power, to achieve full national coverage. Ensuring reliability and maintenance in these newly electrified areas will also be a test for REA.
As more rural areas gain access to electricity, managing the demand between public institutions, households, and businesses will be critical to sustaining the electrification project’s impact on local development.
Deputy Minister Kapinga’s announcement of near-universal rural electrification represents a transformative achievement for Tanzania, signaling progress toward equalizing access to essential services and economic opportunities.
With electricity now reaching nearly all rural Tanzanian villages, the government’s focus on sustainability and ongoing oversight is poised to ensure that these advances translate into long-term development and prosperity for communities across the country.
This milestone is not only a step toward Tanzania’s Vision 2025 but also a testament to the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, demonstrating how electrification can drive social, educational, and economic improvements for the nation’s most underserved areas.