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UK steps up support for Tanzania’s energy transition
Country Director, Department for Business and Trade at the British High Commission in Tanzania, Mr Andrew Mahiga
What you need to know:
- Speaking to The Citizen on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Forum, Country Director, Department for Business and Trade at the British High Commission in Tanzania, Mr Andrew Mahiga, said the UK is actively assisting British companies seeking to invest in Tanzania’s energy sector
Cape Town. The UK is strengthening its support for Tanzania’s energy sector, with a focus on renewables and power transmission, as part of its broader strategy to foster sustainable development and economic growth.
Speaking to The Citizen on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Forum, Country Director, Department for Business and Trade at the British High Commission in Tanzania, Mr Andrew Mahiga, said the UK is actively assisting British companies seeking to invest in Tanzania’s energy sector.
“Our job is to help UK companies find local partners, bid for projects, navigate regulatory issues and engage with government,” said Mr Mahiga.
The UK’s Department for Business and Trade supports British firms across more than 20 African countries, with a growing emphasis in Tanzania on solar energy, battery storage, offshore wind and transmission.
“Tanzania has historically focused on generation, but the current shift is towards improving transmission and distribution. That’s where many UK companies see opportunities,” he said.
Mr Mahiga cited the long-running involvement of UK-based Globeleq in the Songas gas plant and noted growing interest in solar and floating solar projects in Zanzibar, which relies on power from the mainland.
He welcomed the Tanzanian government’s recent move to allow private sector participation in transmission — a shift from its former state monopoly.
Pilot transmission projects are planned in regions such as Shinyanga, Mbinga and Kigoma.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Mr Felchesmi Mramba, told the forum that Tanzania needs about $584 million from private investors to expand transmission infrastructure.
He invited development partners and the private sector to support Tanzania’s target of universal access to clean, affordable energy — a move seen as critical for economic transformation.
Mr Mahiga stressed that London’s role as a global capital hub allows the UK to facilitate project financing through banks, investment funds and venture capital, even for smaller rural renewable projects.
He urged the Tanzanian government to maintain investor-friendly policies with clear frameworks for public-private partnerships, independent power producers, and cost-reflective tariffs.
“If I met President Hassan today, I’d commend the government’s progress in electricity generation and encourage it to continue opening up the sector to private players,” he said.
“With the right regulatory environment, Tanzania can attract long-term UK investment and transform its energy future,” Mr Mahiga said.
