Country snapshot · Southern Africa

Zambia

Export rules: YesData as of 10 October 2026
670.9MW
Solar added in 2026 (Ember estimate, all segments)1N1,N2
+117%
Change on 20251
2025: 309.1 MW (Ember estimate)
53.6%
Access to electricity, 20242N3
9.89million
People without electricity, 2024 (DERCA calculation)2N3

Solar added each year

Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.

Zambia: solar added per year, 2023–2026, MW (Ember estimates)2023: 58.3 MW; 2024: 37.6 MW; 2025: 309.1 MW; 2026 estimate: 670.9 MW58.3202337.62024309.12025670.92026E
Zambia: solar added per year, 2023–2026, MW (Ember estimates)2023: 58.3 MW; 2024: 37.6 MW; 2025: 309.1 MW; 2026 estimate: 670.9 MW58.3202337.62024309.12025670.92026E
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Solar added per year, MW
YearMWBasis
202358.3Ember estimate
202437.6Ember estimate
2025309.1Ember estimate
2026E670.9Ember estimate, full year

3.8% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (670.9 of 17,449.4 MW).1

Who has electricity

Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.

Zambia: access to electricity, rural vs urban, 2024Rural 31.3%, urban 80.3%, national 53.6%.National 53.6%Rural 31.3%Urban 80.3%0%25%50%75%100%
Zambia: access to electricity, rural vs urban, 2024Rural 31.3%, urban 80.3%, national 53.6%.National 53.6%Rural 31.3%Urban 80.3%0%50%100%
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Access to electricity, 2024
AreaAccessYear
Rural31.3%2024
Urban80.3%2024
National53.6%2024
Rural 31.3%Urban 80.3%Without electricity 9.89m (DERCA calculation)

World Bank WDI, 2024.2

How reliable is the grid for business?

Firms experiencing electrical outages (2025 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N4

Zambia: share of firms experiencing electrical outagesZambia 89.6% (2025 survey); Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4%; World 47.5% (2025).Zambia (2025)89.6%Sub-Saharan Africa72.4%World47.5%
Zambia: share of firms experiencing electrical outagesZambia 89.6% (2025 survey); Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4%; World 47.5% (2025).Zambia (2025)89.6%Sub-SaharanAfrica72.4%World47.5%

89.6% (2025 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)

The rules for small-scale generationN5

Export rules: Yes4–11

Regulator
Energy Regulation Board (ERB)
Main utility
ZESCO
Export rulesNet Metering Regs Jul 2024Show detail

Net Metering Regs Jul 2024

Report data register: C58-C64
How exports are creditedERB-approved tariffs (not verified)Show detail

ERB-approved tariffs (not verified)

Report data register: C58-C64
Size limits and licensingNot verifiedShow detail

Not verified

Report data register: C58-C64
Mini-grid rulesNot reviewed in this edition.Show detail

Not reviewed in this edition.

Report data register: C58-C64;C58-C62
Market access beyond the utilityOpen Access Regs Jul 2024 (>=1 MW)Show detail

Open Access Regs Jul 2024 (>=1 MW)

Report data register: C58-C64
Aggregation / VPP rulesNone foundShow detail

None found

Report data register: C58-C64

“None found” means we could not locate a rule in public sources reviewed to 10 October 2026, not that one cannot exist.

Recent developments

Dated developments, 2024–2026.

  1. Jun 2025

    Solar panel imports rose eightfold in the 12 months to June 2025 (Ember).6

  2. Jul 2024

    Net Metering Regulations gazetted (5 Jul) and Open Access Regulations enacted (19 Jul).10

The full report

This is a snapshot. The full story is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.

The full analysis, with 17 exhibits on the boom, the data gap, the economics and the four building blocks, is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.

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