Maamba Energy Limited (MEL), a key player in Zambia’s energy sector, announced its plan to become a 700 MW national energy hub by 2026 during the Southern Province Investment Forum and Exposition 2025. The commitment underscores the company’s alignment with the national agenda for investment-driven socio-economic transformation.
Maamba Energy CEO, Col. Cyrus Minwalla (Retd), emphasised the direct impact of this growth: “Every megawatt we generate fuels industries, lights homes, and creates jobs that transform lives. This is what socio-economic transformation looks like in action.”
MEL’s expansion comes as President Hakainde Hichilema, who officially opened the Expo, called on investors to be confident and ambitious. The President highlighted the direct link between investment and welfare: “Out of investments, projects, once implemented, jobs are created… That’s the way to fight poverty.”
Fuelling the Future: From 300 MW to 700 MW
For over a decade, Maamba Energy has been at the heart of Zambia’s power generation, operating a 300 MW thermal power plant and revitalizing the nation’s largest coal mine.
The company’s Phase II expansion is currently underway, adding an additional 300 MW of thermal power and a 100 MW Solar Power plant. This will bring MEL’s total generation capacity to 700 MW by 2026, significantly boosting national energy security with stable, climate-independent base load power.
Transformation Beyond the Grid
Maamba Energy’s investment extends beyond power generation, directly implementing the Expo’s theme of “Socio-Economic Transformation through Partnerships and Innovation.”
Key community initiatives include:
Education: Operating one of Zambia’s best-performing schools with a 100% pass rate.
Health: The Maamba Eye Clinic, which features a full surgical theatre, has conducted over 400 cataract surgeries this year alone, serving five districts and patients from as far as Zimbabwe.
Innovation & Livelihood: Following the President’s call for harnessing local strengths, Maamba has launched a brick-making cooperative utilizing waste by-products from its power plant, turning environmental challenges into a new economic opportunity for the local community.
“These are not just projects; they are proof that partnerships and innovation lead directly to socio-economic transformation the very essence of this year’s Expo theme. We share the President’s confidence that with the right partnerships, Southern Province and the nation at large can unlock unprecedented opportunities for inclusive growth,” CEO MEL concluded.
Maamba Energy expressed its gratitude and commended the Government of the Republic of Zambia and Southern Provincial Administration for ongoing reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business, strengthening investor confidence, and promoting Zambia as a competitive regional energy hub.
