[2019-04-04] World Bank finances rural electrification in Mozambique

Source: Macauhub

The World Bank has provided funding of US$148 million to Mozambique to increase access to electricity in five of the country’s poorest provinces, according to a statement released in Washington.

The statement, which mentions Niassa, Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado and Sofala as the five provinces, reports that of the total amount US$82 million is a donation, the remaining US$66 million being provided by a multi-donor fund managed by the World Bank.

“With the potential to benefit 1.5 million people, this funding will help carry out the Mozambique Government’s ‘National Energy for All’ programme, also known as ProEnergy,” the statement said.

Mark Lundell, director of the World Bank for Mozambique, said in the statement that the “relationship between poverty and lack of electricity has been understood for a long time,” so this project aims to reduce poverty in Mozambique by increasing access to power.

The World Bank leader for this project, Zayra Romo, said that while electricity reaches all 154 districts in the country, there are still a significant number of homes and businesses that are not yet connected to the national grid.

“It is estimated that this project will enable 272 thousand new customers to have access to electricity, representing an estimated 1.45 million people, of which 74% live in rural areas.”