Mozambique to get data centre, transmission line boost (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Mozambique’s energy sector is to receive a boost from the African Development Bank (AfDB) following the institution’s participation in Maputo at the Africa50 shareholders meeting

Africa50 is an investment platform established by African governments with the AfDB, which has now surpassed US$1.4bn in managed assets directed at infrastructure provision.

At the 2025 summit, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM) for the development of three transmission lines under an Independent Power Transmission (IPT) framework.

“This will help support the government’s ambition to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 and become a significant exporter of power across the Southern African Development Community,” a statement released by AfDB noted.

Finalisation of the project development agreements is now underway for three lines under an IPT framework, partnering with Power Grid and EDM, it added.

A separate MoU was also signed with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation to build a new data centre facility in Maputo and to modernise the existing one.

Africa50’s Mozambique portfolio already includes equity investment in the 175 MW Central Termica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG) gas-fired power plant.

According to Dr Akinwumi Adesina, president of the AfDB Group, investments by Africa50 complement broader support from the bank itself that have delivered some US$1.6bn to Mozambique over the past decade.

This investment includes US$400mn in senior debt financing for the country's flagship US$20bn liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Cabo Delgado, as well as the US$34mn Mozambique Energy for All Project, which has connected more than 45,500 households to electricity.

The bank claims its energy sector investments have helped to double Mozambique's national energy access rate from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2024.

The AfDB has also supported agricultural transformation through special agro-industrial processing zones, including the Pemba-Lichinga corridor, while financing critical transport infrastructure along the Nacala and Beira corridors that enhance regional trade connectivity for the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Earlier this year, the AfDB approved US$43.6mn in funding for the construction of the Namaacha-Boane transmission line and related electricity infrastructure

EDM will implement the project in partnership with Central Eléctrica da Namaacha (CEN), a private sector-led development group involving Globeleq Africa Limited and Source Energia that is building the 120 MW Namaacha wind farm in the southwestern part of the country.

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Malawi’s youthful population is expected to drive demand for IT, AI and data centre solutions (Image source: Adobe Stock)

International Power Control Systems (IPCS) has been named as a distribution partner in Malawi by Vertiv, a specialist in critical digital infrastructure

The new agreement marks a major step in expanding Vertiv’s reach in the Malawian market, leveraging IPCS’s established experience in power control and alternative energy solutions.

“This collaboration will enhance IPCS’s product portfolio, reinforcing our position as a trusted leader in the Malawian market,” said Rumbidzai Bere, business development and marketing director at IPCS.

“The combination of IPCS’s experience in power control and renewable energy and Vertiv’s innovative solutions, such as lithium-ion compatible UPS systems and IT infrastructure products, will bring a new layer of reliability and efficiency to organisations in Malawi, enabling them to equip their critical infrastructure with the resilient, scalable infrastructure needed to support them over time.”

The agreement includes the distribution of Vertiv's comprehensive critical digital infrastructure portfolio, including single-phase and three-phase AC power solutions, surge protection, integrated racks and cabinets and IT infrastructure management solutions, to support the growing demands for computing and AI infrastructure in the region.

The Malawi government’s National Compact for Energy sets out the country’s vision and commitment to increasing access to electricity and alternative energy by 2030, with the aim of providing electricity to 70% of the population.

“Our collaboration with IPCS is a step toward reinforcing Vertiv’s local footprint and a strategic move to align with a well-established, respected partner,” said Gary Chomse, Vertiv’s regional director for central and southern Africa.

“This is proof of our presence, commitment and investment in the Malawian power control, data centre infrastructure, and alternative energy sectors.

“Through this partnership, Vertiv and IPCS are committed to contributing to Malawi’s technological evolution, providing businesses with the power and infrastructure solutions needed to support the country’s digital future.”

IPCS, a wholly Malawian-owned company, has built its reputation as a leader in power solutions since its foundation in 1998.

With a strong track record in supplying, installing and maintaining critical power infrastructure, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), data centre solutions, automatic voltage regulators, surge protectors, and alternative energy systems, IPCS is well-positioned to supply, install, and support Vertiv solutions in Malawi.

“This means that, as digital transformation accelerates and electrification efforts continue, there is immense potential for growth in the IT and power sectors,” added Bere.

“With Malawi’s youthful population, 80% of whom are under the age of 35, we also believe that the rise in IT skills, the use of AI and cybersecurity advancements will further drive demand for sophisticated data centre solutions.”

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South Africa’s Koeberg nuclear power plant (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched a new outlook on nuclear power in Africa

The report surveys the continent’s current energy landscape, highlighting the prospects for nuclear power to address the lack of electricity that is still a daily reality for about half a billion people.

South Africa is for now the only African country with nuclear power, with the two-unit Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town supplying almost two gigawatts of capacity.

However, enthusiasm is building across the continent where fossil fuels currently dominate energy production, accounting for more than 70% of electricity production.

During its current G20 presidency, South Africa is partnering with the IAEA to focus on the implementation of nuclear new-build programmes in Africa.

There is particular interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) given the grid infrastructure constraints.

“The global interest in SMRs is increasing due to their ability to meet the need for flexible power generation for a wider range of users and applications as we move from high carbon emissions to lower carbon emission sources,” said Zizamele Mbambo, deputy director general for nuclear energy in South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

A growing number of African countries are interested in adding nuclear to their energy mix, with Egypt building its first four-unit nuclear power plant, expected to be ready by 2028.

Ghana and Kenya are also working with the IAEA to develop the requisite infrastructure to launch their programmes.

The latest IAEA projections have nuclear capacity in Africa increasing tenfold by 2050 in the high-case scenario, while even in the low case scenario the current figure grows by a factor of five.

But it would come at a huge financial cost: in the high-case scenario, nuclear capacity could require more than US$100bn in additional investment.

“Access to reliable and low-carbon energy sources such as nuclear can enable Africa to further explore and more importantly also add benefits and value to its vast natural resources, including uranium,” said Frederik Reitsma, head of the IAEA’s nuclear power technology development section.

“History has shown that the development of a nuclear power programme, and the development of the associated supply chain, drives industrial growth and leads to advanced technology development in other areas.”

The IAEA report takes an in-depth look at what is required to deploy enough nuclear to meet the continent’s significant energy needs, underscoring the importance of addressing financing challenges, implementing strong, supportive government policies and adopting a regional approach to nuclear power development.

It also details IAEA support in these and other areas.

The publication also looks at how SMRs could play a major role in Africa, highlighting benefits such as their suitability for the relatively small electric grids that are common in Africa as well as lower capital costs.

Uranium mining is also identified as a significant growth opportunity for the continent, which is already home to three of the world’s top 10 uranium producers: Namibia, Niger and South Africa.

Some 14% of global uranium production is today from countries in Africa.

For now, South Africa stands out as the prime example for nuclear energy in Africa.

The Koeberg Unit 1 long-term operation licence was granted in 2024, allowing the power station to extend the unit’s operational life by 20 years.

In addition, the DMRE Integrated Resource Plan of 2023 aims to add 2,500 MW of new nuclear capacity, including SMRs, after 2030, which has been approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).

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Boosting Africa's uptake of solar energy (Image source: Adobe Stock)

A new €6mn (US$7mn) finance facility has been created to help small businesses in Africa to buy more solar generators

Green Genset Facility (GGF), a not-for-profit empowering small and medium-sized distributors supplying solar generators to the off-grid or weak-grid retail market, will use the grant funding to expand clean energy coverage.

The facility comes via ZE-Gen, a collaborative initiative of the Carbon Trust and Innovate UK, both of which receive backing, directly or indirectly, from UK public funds.

ZE-Gen’s grant funding for GGF is made possible following support for ZE-Gen from IKEA Foundation, a philanthropic organisation.

Maxime Marion, managing director of GGF, said the additional grant funding “enables GGF to power-charge the solar generator market in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Marion added: “For too long small and medium distributors have been priced out of the market by onerous, inaccessible and complex finance facilities, limiting customer choice and restricting competitive market growth and the GGF funding marks a step change in the market.”

Unlike conventional finance, GGF finance is fast and simple, and its iterative approach allows distributors to only buy the stock they are confident they can sell, avoiding costly stockpiling, minimising risk and enabling sustainable growth.

ZE-Gen’s collaboration will allow GGF to ramp up its work breaking down the traditional barriers to financing solar inventory that many small and medium wholesalers face, such as low-ticket sizes, complex due diligence and high transaction costs.

The new funding is part of ZE-Gen’s mission to make renewable energy the affordable go-to source of power in countries where reliable electricity is limited or non-existent and follows a further £10mn (US$13.4mn) in support from the IKEA Foundation earlier this year.

Despite being home to two-thirds of the world’s population, emerging economies currently only account for 15% of global clean energy investment, with homes and businesses facing frequent blackouts that can last for weeks at a time, negatively impacting daily lives, health and business income.

ZE-Gen’s approach tackles market barriers to renewable energy-based alternatives to fossil fuel generators by uniting innovation, finance and skills to drive competitive market growth.

To date, it has catalysed £39.75mn (US$53.4mn) — against a £100mn (US134.4mn) target — and supported more than 30 projects across Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Malawi and Uganda, as well as Fiji and the Philippines outside Africa.

“Globally, around 1.5 billion people don’t have access to reliable electricity and the potential market for renewable energy generators across sub-Saharan Africa is huge,” said Lily Beadle, ZE-Gen lead at the Carbon Trust.

“The success and failure of any business hinges on being able to access affordable working capital and so ZE-Gen’s involvement with GGF will make a huge difference to the growth of the solar generator market and create new green jobs.”

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