Story by Staff Reporter
THE Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable July Moyo, has called for urgent and scaled-up investment in Africa’s energy infrastructure, warning that persistent power deficits are undermining industrialisation, food security and economic growth across the continent.
Addressing delegates at the DEVAC Infrastructure Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Minister of Energy and Power Development said Africa must move beyond discussions and accelerate implementation if universal access to electricity is to be achieved by 2030.
“The story of Africa’s energy future is still being written. The choices we make today on access, transition, scaling, and investment will determine whether our continent powers inclusive prosperity or perpetuates inequality,” he said.
The summit, running under the theme “Africa’s Infrastructure in Motion, From Projects to Progress”, brought together policymakers, investors and infrastructure leaders from across the continent.
Honourable Moyo said energy security remains central to economic transformation, industrialisation and digital development, noting that over 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity.
“That is not just a statistic but is a call to urgency and implementation,” he said.
The Minister highlighted the impact of global geopolitical tensions on energy markets, saying instability in the Middle East continues to affect fuel prices, transport costs and agricultural production across Africa.
“Energy costs underpin every sector of our productive economy. They shape the competitiveness of our agriculture, the cost of irrigation, mechanisation and cold storage. They determine production and selling costs across our mining sector.
“Businesses operate generators at enormous cost. Hospitals, schools, and water utilities strain under unreliable supply. Our manufacturing sector cannot competitively produce for export markets when power supply is unpredictable and expensive,” he said.
Honourable Moyo said Zimbabwe is positioning renewable energy at the centre of its future power strategy, leveraging the country’s vast solar, hydro and wind potential.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with extraordinary renewable energy potential. We receive among the highest levels of solar irradiation on the continent yet we harvest a fraction of it,” he said.
The Minister outlined several key government targets, including achieving 2 640 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, expanding rural electrification through mini-grids and standalone solar systems, rehabilitating thermal and hydro generation infrastructure and strengthening cross-border electricity trade through the Southern African Power Pool.
He said Zimbabwe is also pursuing strategic fuel reserves, energy efficiency measures and transmission upgrades while creating a conducive environment for independent power producers and private sector investment.
“Investors and developers want certainty, speed, and scale. They are looking for policy clarity, innovation readiness, and regional integration. Africa must position itself not as a high-risk frontier, but as a high-return growth market,” he said.
Honourable Moyo urged African governments and investors to translate policy dialogue into tangible infrastructure projects capable of transforming lives and driving inclusive development.
“Together, we can ensure that by 2030, Africa is not asking whether universal access is achievable but celebrating that it has been achieved,” he said.
