KEY POINTS
- Taifa Group plans to invest over 500 million dollars in Zambia within two years
- Investment targets gas distribution, solar power and contract mining
- Project aims to support copper mining growth and reduce energy shortages
Rostam Aziz, a Tanzanian billionaire, runs the Taifa Group, an East African industrial and energy conglomerate. The company plans to invest more than $500 million in Zambia over the next two years, which will make it a bigger player in Southern Africa.
People who know the company’s strategy say that the investment will be mostly in gas distribution, renewable energy generation, and contract mining. It is Taifa Group’s biggest expansion outside of East Africa and shows Aziz’s push into infrastructure that will help the region grow in the long term.
Zambia’s economy is starting to grow again, mostly because people are investing in copper mining again, as well as farming and light manufacturing. Energy shortages, on the other hand, are still a big problem for productivity, which is where private capital comes in.
Energy gaps shape investment priorities
Aziz said that Zambia has become a top market because of its industrial connections, close proximity, and growing need for reliable energy. He said the plan is to reduce dependence on charcoal and diesel while raising living standards and lowering emissions.
Taifa Group wants to be known as a supplier of important energy sources to homes, factories, and mines. This will help both industrial production and domestic consumption.
The first part of the investment will be in gas. Taifa Gas is likely to start sending liquefied petroleum gas to Zambia in 2026. Plans include building infrastructure for storage and distribution, with depots that go beyond Lusaka to serve smaller towns and industrial clusters.
The group is also working on plans to add up to 500 megawatts of solar power capacity along with gas. The projects are meant to help with Zambia’s power shortages and cut down on the heavy use of diesel generators, especially in mining.
In addition, Taifa Group wants to use its 30 years of experience in contract mining and equipment supply to help Zambia’s mining industry grow as copper production increases.
Analysts say that Zambia’s current development needs are met by the combination of gas, renewables, and mining services, especially since global demand for copper is rising.
