The Government of Austria, through UniCredit Bank, has pledged TZS 60 billion to Tanzania to help bring electricity to communities using solar energy and waste-to-energy projects.
The announcement came on September 17, 2025, during talks between Mr. Hannes Merl, CEO of Merl Solar Technologies GmbH, and Mr. Felchesmi Mramba, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, in Vienna, Austria, at the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Mr. Mramba said Merl Solar Technologies will soon come to Tanzania to work with local experts and prepare for the new projects. He promised that the Tanzanian government will fully support the initiative to make sure the projects are completed successfully.
Merl Solar Technologies has a proven record in Tanzania. Between 2015 and 2017, the company installed 14 containerized solar systems in villages in Kongwa (Dodoma), Mlele (Katavi), and Uyui (Tabora), at a cost of TZS 16.2 billion. These projects provided electricity to 812 households, 27 places of worship, six schools, and eight health centers.
Mr. Mramba thanked the Austrian government for its continued support and said the new funding will help Tanzania achieve its goal of giving electricity to every citizen by 2030 through the 300 Mission program.
The meeting took place at the Tanzanian Embassy in Vienna and was attended by Tanzania’s Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Naimi S. Aziz, and the Commissioner for Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mr. Innocent Luoga.
With this new support, more Tanzanians are expected to gain access to electricity, improving daily life, education, health services, and local businesses.