Tanzania has entered a new phase in its energy transformation following the launch of electric vehicle charging stations and a clean cooking financing programme designed to make electricity more accessible, affordable and widely used in daily life.
The Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) has introduced electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure alongside an On-Bill Financing (OBF) scheme that allows households to acquire electric cooking stoves and repay gradually through their normal electricity purchases using the LUKU system.
The initiatives were officially launched in Dodoma by the Minister for Energy, Deogratius Ndejembi, who said the move reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that electricity directly improves citizens’ lives while supporting economic growth and environmental protection.
He said Tanzania is now expanding electricity use beyond lighting homes to include transport and cooking, describing it as a major step toward improving living standards, reducing household costs and strengthening the country’s green economy agenda.
The government has continued investing heavily in the energy sector, increasing national electricity generation capacity to more than 4,000 megawatts.
This growth, officials say, provides a strong foundation for expanding electricity use in productive sectors such as transport, manufacturing and household energy.
As part of the rollout, TANESCO working with the United Nations Development Programme (United Nations Development Programme) has received 50 modern EV charging machines supplied by China-based company Autel Energy.
The machines will be installed in key locations across the country to ensure easier access to charging services for electric vehicles and motorcycles.
TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Twange said the new developments are part of a broader effort to ensure that every Tanzanian benefits from the country’s growing electricity supply in practical and affordable ways.
He said the launch of EV charging stations marks an important milestone in opening up new opportunities for citizens, including transport innovation, small business growth and job creation in the emerging electric mobility sector.
He added that the On-Bill Financing (OBF) programme will help ordinary citizens access electric cooking stoves without paying large upfront costs.
Instead, customers will repay gradually through their regular electricity purchases via LUKU, making clean cooking more affordable for many households.
The scheme is expected to reduce reliance on charcoal and firewood, which remain common cooking fuels in many homes, especially in urban and peri-urban areas.
This shift is expected to lower household spending on energy while also improving health by reducing indoor air pollution.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule praised TANESCO for introducing what she called practical solutions that directly respond to citizens’ daily needs.
She said the initiative will help families transition to safer and cleaner cooking methods while also supporting Tanzania’s broader goal of protecting the environment and reducing deforestation.
She also encouraged continued public education so that more citizens understand the benefits of electric cooking and electric transport, stressing that awareness will be key to wider adoption.
Energy stakeholders say the introduction of EV charging infrastructure will help accelerate the growth of electric mobility in Tanzania, particularly in cities where demand for affordable and reliable transport solutions is increasing.
Overall, the new initiatives signal a clear shift toward a more modern, inclusive and citizen-focused energy system. By making electricity more useful in everyday life from cooking at home to powering transport Tanzania is positioning itself to deliver both economic and social benefits to its people while advancing its clean energy agenda.
