Zambia: Amid Electricity Crisis, Zambians Favour Ending State Monopoly, Investing in Solar and Wind Power

7 May 2026
Afrobarometer (Accra)
By Edward Chibwili

Only one in 25 citizens enjoy reliable power from the national grid.

Key findings

  • A modest majority (55%) of Zambians live in zones served by the ZESCO grid, but only half as many (28%) say their households are actually connected to the grid.
  • Urban residents and highly educated citizens are significantly more likely to have a connection to the grid than rural and poorly educated respondents.
  • Among those who are connected to the grid, only 15% say their electricity works "most" or "all" of the time.
  • Combining connection and reliability rates, just a tiny minority (4%) of all Zambians enjoy a reliable supply of electricity from the national grid.
  • Nearly half (47%) of citizens say their households use power from a source other than the ZESCO grid, mostly solar panels (83%).
  • One in five Zambians (21%) say electricity is an urgent issue requiring government intervention, placing it seventh on a list of citizens' top priorities.
  • More than eight in 10 respondents (83%) say the government is doing a poor job of providing a reliable electricity supply, double the share in 2022 (41%).
  • A strong majority (73%) oppose the idea of privatising ZESCO to ensure effectiveness in the supply of electricity.
  • But there is widespread support (78%) for allowing other actors to generate and distribute electricity.
  • A plurality (48%) of Zambians say they would be willing to pay more for energy in exchange for better services, but a similar proportion (42%) disagree.
  • Seven in 10 respondents (70%) support government investment in wind and solar technologies for electricity generation, even if it leads to higher energy prices.

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Zambia has been battling an energy crisis for several years, with frequent power shortages hindering daily life and economy activity (Lloyd, 2024). The electricity crisis has been attributed to low water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs and the worst drought the country has experienced in the past five decades (Masanta, 2025; Sipula, 2024; Al Jazeera, 2024; Chibwili, 2025). Hydropower accounts for 84% of electricity supply, making the country highly vulnerable to climate change and meteorological phenomena such as El Niño that cause drier conditions and reduce water flow in major river basins (Hamukale & Kimeto, 2024; Ministry of Energy, 2024a).

These environmental pressures and the inability of the Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO) to increase electricity production has led to a growing mismatch between the generation capacity and rising energy demand, with the shortfall reaching 1,600 megawatts in February 2024 (Parliament of Zambia, 2024). In response, ZESCO has implemented load shedding - reductions in the availability of electricity due to limited generating capacity - for up to 21 hours per day (Sipula, 2024).

In February 2024, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema declared the drought a national disaster and called for local and international partners to provide humanitarian aid and finalise ongoing debt-restructuring talks (Al Jazeera, 2024; ReliefWeb, 2024). The government has since announced plans to alleviate the energy challenge through various solar-power initiatives, including agreements to purchase solar energy from independent power producers (Tembo, 2025; United Nations Development Programme, 2025; Open Zambia, 2025; Kemp, 2025). It has also removed value-added taxes and import duties on solar panels and several related products (Ministry of Energy, 2024b).

In the context of this energy crisis, a 2024 Afrobarometer survey provides an on-the-ground perspective on electricity supply and the government's performance.

While a modest majority of Zambians live in areas supplied by the national power grid, only half as many report being connected to the grid, and just one in 25 enjoy a reliable supply of electricity from the mains. Almost half of survey participants say they use alternative sources of electricity, among which solar power is the most popular.

Most citizens say the government is performing poorly on providing a reliable supply of electricity. An overwhelming majority oppose privatising ZESCO, though there is widespread support for allowing other players to compete with the state-owned utility company.

Citizens are divided over the idea of paying more for electricity in exchange for better services, but a large majority say the government should invest in wind and solar power for electricity generation, even if it raises energy prices.

Edward Chibwili Edward Chibwili is the national investigator for Zambia.

Read the original article on Afrobarometer.

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