From Hicks Sikazwe, NDOLA, Zambia
Africa’s richest man Nigerian Aliko Dangote, has implored Zambia to consider setting up a coal power plant to curb a crippling energy deficit the country has grappled with for almost a decade.
“The fact is the country needs a lot of power. You have coal and I think you should use it to generate power,” he told President Hakainde Hichilema when they met at State House in the capital Lusaka on Wednesday evening.
Dangote added,” Do not use these green things they are talking about such solar and wind. I think you should use what God has given to you which is coal to generate power.”
Hichilema who came to power in 2021 used the power shortage in Africa’s second largest copper producer, as a campaign issue in the run up to the August 2021 elections.
But under him the power rationing known locally as load shedding has worsened with most domestic consumers getting a pastry three hour supply per day.
Dangote who owns a Cement factory in the Copperbelt Provincial capital Ndola advised that without power there can never be growth.
Zambia already runs a coal power generating plant at Maamba a rural out post in the country’s Southern province. The outlet uses locally sourced coal.
Zambia largely depends on hydroelectricity which is generated from Kariba dam a shared facility with Zimbabwe built before independence in 1964. At independence the country’s population was, only three million and it has now surged to 20 million by the last count two years ago.
Demand for power has over the years risen not only because of the rising population but more industries have come up. In 1991 when President Frederick Chiluba came into office the construction sector flourished seeing a rise in the construction of housing units by individuals and corporate organisations.
While demand for power has been rising there hasn’t been proportional investment in power production and distribution.
According to local media, Dangote has expressed interest in collaborating with the Zambian government to set up another coal power generate plant to alleviate the current crisis.
Despite the power shortage the government has openly admitted to selling power to some neighbouring countries insisting that they could not discontinue deals cut by the previous government.
Despite the few economic gains heralded after Hichilema was elected in August 2021 his government has come under severe criticism over load shedding which has affected small business operators who are key contributors to the country’s GDP.
The power deficit has however not affected the mines which produce copper the country’s major foreign exchange earner. Most of the power removed from domestic consumers is re-routed to running the industrial sector including the mines
Some of the mining firms have further set up back up solar facilities to ensure a 24 hour run without disruption.
Should the Dangote proposal be taken up it will not only improve Zambia’s sagging but it will lead to generation of disposable income for many communities in country.
When Dangote set up the Cement plant on the Copperbelt, the price of the commodity stabilised for some time
