Zimbabwe

At a glance

Zimbabwe is a country with huge renewable energy resources potential yet their exploitation to address energy poverty is negligible due to prevailing economic challenges. The country’s population of around 15.2 million people is largely rural with 67% of the population resident in rural areas.  

Access levels to electricity services is 40% (16% in rural areas, 78% in urban areas). The primary energy source for cooking is firewood with a statistic of 63% of households using wood. Increasing energy access through rural electrification is viewed by the Government as a major pillar in enhancing socio-economic development in rural communities.

A Rapid Assessment / Gap Analysis of the energy sector was produced in 2012 and updated in 2015 and provides a brief look of the energy situation in the country. Subsequently, the country embarked in the process of developing its national SEforALL Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus, following a wide national consultative process and with the technical assistance of the SEforALL Africa Hub. A first stakeholders meeting for the development of the country documents was held in November 2015.  The development process is still undergoing and is expected to be finalized in 2016.

The SEforALL national Action Agenda has been validated on October 20, 2016.

The SEforALL implementation is followed by a focal point in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.