Zambia is set to rekindle its long-stalled dream of becoming a regional energy hub as it resumes construction of a key electricity interconnector with Tanzania part of a bold $320 million project to create one of the largest power markets on the continent.

After years of delays, the Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector Project is back on track, with work scheduled to resume this April and completion expected by 2028. The ambitious initiative is backed by the World Bank, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.

Achim Fock, World Bank Country Manager for Zambia, said during the official signing ceremony on Friday, that it is more than a power line it’s a gateway to regional integration and economic transformation

The remaining phase of the project will cost $298 million, with the World Bank covering a significant $245 million through a grant. Zambia’s Acting Finance Minister Chipoka Mulenga hailed the project as a critical step toward unlocking cross-border energy trade and boosting the country’s energy security.

First proposed over a decade ago, the project faced multiple setbacks, from financial hurdles to the COVID-19 pandemic and Zambia’s 2020 debt default. However, a recent agreement with bondholders under the G20’s Common Framework has revived investor confidence.

Once completed, the interconnector will link Zambia’s Southern African Power Pool with the Eastern African Power Pool ushering in a new era of affordable, reliable electricity across borders. Experts believe it will attract more investment into Africa’s power sector while lowering costs for millions of consumers.

With construction resuming and international support secured, Zambia is flipping the switch on a brighter, more interconnected energy future.