Tanzania Leads Africa in Electricity Connections

Tanzania is leading Africa in connecting citizens to electricity, according to World Bank statistics cited by Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi, as the government expands efforts to make power connections more affordable for households across the country.

Ndejembi made the remarks on Friday, October 2, 2026, in Dar es Salaam during the signing ceremony for a financing arrangement between Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and CRDB Bank aimed at supporting electricity connections for citizens.

The Vice President said Tanzania currently has about nine million electricity customers, with TANESCO accounting for six million customers and the Rural Energy Agency (REA) serving another three million.

“According to World Bank statistics, Tanzania leads Africa in connecting citizens to electricity. As we speak, we have nine million customers, with TANESCO having six million and REA three million,” Ndejembi said.

He said the figures demonstrate the progress Tanzania has made in expanding access to electricity, while the new partnership between TANESCO and CRDB is expected to further reduce financial barriers preventing some citizens from obtaining connections.

Under the financing arrangement, the initial target is to reach 500,000 rural customers annually. CRDB Bank will finance the electricity connection fee of 27,000 Tanzanian shillings for eligible beneficiaries under the programme.

The initiative is expected to particularly benefit rural households that may face difficulties meeting connection costs despite electricity infrastructure being available in their areas.

For urban residents, Ndejembi said TANESCO and CRDB had established a separate arrangement allowing customers to pay electricity connection costs in instalments rather than settling the full amount at once.

The government has also introduced the Peri-Urban Electricity Programme to cover people living in areas that have characteristics similar to rural communities but fall within the administrative boundaries of towns, municipalities or cities.

Under the programme, eligible peri-urban residents will also benefit from the 27,000-shilling connection arrangement.

The approach represents an effort to address one of the less visible barriers to electricity access: the cost of connecting individual households to an existing power network. While expanding the national grid increases physical access, connection charges can still determine whether households actually become electricity users.

Ndejembi praised CRDB Bank for partnering with TANESCO, saying cooperation between financial institutions and the private sector is important in removing financial obstacles that can prevent citizens from accessing electricity.

The partnership also places financial institutions in a more direct role in supporting public infrastructure and social development objectives, particularly by providing financing mechanisms that spread connection costs over time.

For Tanzania, continued expansion of electricity access remains closely linked to economic activity, household welfare and the development of rural and peri-urban communities. Greater access to reliable electricity can support small businesses, agricultural processing, education and other productive activities.

The government’s latest financing arrangement therefore seeks not only to increase the number of electricity connections but also to make access more financially manageable for households that remain outside the national power system despite the continued expansion of electricity infrastructure.