Anzana Electric and African Development Bank Power Up Burundi's Energy Future with $600,000 Grant to Weza Power

Zawya

a day ago

At the launch of Burundi's National Energy Compact during the Mission 300 (M300) Private Sector Consultation in London, Anzana Electric Group and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) announced a $600,000 project development grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA). The grant will support Weza Power, a public-private partnership (PPP)-backed private utility aiming to rapidly expand electrification and connect nine million people across Burundi.
The grant is part of SEFA's recently approved regional technical assistance program for PPPs in transmission and distribution, implemented by the African Development Bank. The program is designed to enable private sector participation in developing and financing transmission lines and grid expansion projects, with the goal of increasing renewable energy integration. Specifically, it will accelerate Weza Power's development activities and fund key environmental and social workstreams as it prepares for full operational launch.
'Weza Power represents a bold new model for accelerating access to electricity for all Burundians,' said Burundi's Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines, Ibrahim Uwizeye. 'We are proud to partner with the private sector to bring innovative solutions to our energy challenges and expand electricity access to millions of our citizens.'
Weza Power is the first national-level electricity distribution company of its kind operating across Burundi. Privately owned and operated by Anzana Electricity, with support from British International Investment and Gridworks, Weza Power represents the first privately operated national electricity distribution company in sub-Saharan Africa in over a decade.
With its latest commitment, the African Development Bank becomes the newest M300 partner providing direct support to Weza Power, joining the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank. The African Development Bank is actively exploring additional avenues to ensure the long-term success of this innovative PPP model through its public and private sector financing windows.
'Our goal is to unlock the opportunity that power enables for every Burundian. This support from the African Development Bank and SEFA will help accelerate project development and deliver on Burundi's energy ambitions,' said Brian Kelly, CEO of Anzana Electric Group, the parent company of Weza Power. 'This grant represents another major step forward for our team and the many communities across Burundi who will benefit from reliable, affordable power.'
'This support to Weza Power aligns with our commitment to scale innovative business models that can help us reach universal access,' said Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank. 'As a leader in Mission 300, we are proud to support Burundi's Mission 300 compact and catalyze private capital through bold public-private partnerships like Weza.'
The announcement comes as Burundi unveiled its National Energy Compact at the M300 Private Sector Consultation, hosted by the World Bank Group and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The Compact outlines key reforms and investment priorities to reach universal energy access and serves as a cornerstone of the Mission 300 initiative — a joint effort by the World Bank and the African Development Bank to connect 300 million people in Africa by 2030.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media contacts:
Azana Electric:
Thom Wallace
[e-mail]
African Development Bank:
Frederica Lourenco
[e-mail]
About Weza Power:
Weza Power is a private electricity distribution company established to accelerate universal energy access in Burundi. Created and owned by Anzana Electric Group, Weza Power is designed as a national-scale Public-Private Partnership. It is backed by commercial equity, climate-linked and concessional financing, and technical support from multilateral and bilateral donors. The company aims to connect 9 million people across peri-urban and rural areas by 2030, making it one of the most ambitious distribution projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Anzana Electric Group is an investee of Gridworks Development Partners, an investment platform owned by British International Investment that focuses on the transmission and distribution sectors in Africa.
About the African Development Bank:
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is Africa's premier multilateral development finance institution, supporting economic and social progress across the continent. Burundi is a member of the AfDB Group and a featured country under the Mission 300 initiative, which AfDB co-leads with the World Bank. The Bank's support includes strategic co-financing and technical assistance to unlock public and private capital for energy access, infrastructure, and inclusive growth.
About the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa:
SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund's overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and the M300.
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org