Global energy companies, investors, technology providers and policymakers are set to converge in Dar es Salaam in October as Tanzania hosts the 10th Power & Energy Tanzania 2026 and the 10th SolarExpo Tanzania 2026, at a time when Africa's energy needs are expanding while the global economy accelerates its transition towards cleaner and more resilient energy systems.
The two exhibitions, scheduled for October 7 to 9 at the Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre, are being organised by ExpoGroup, an international exhibition organiser with more than three decades of experience in trade exhibitions across Africa and the Middle East.
The 2026 edition is expected to bring together more than 160 exhibitors from over 25 countries, including manufacturers, technology providers, investors, government representatives, financiers, utilities, regulators and other players across the power and renewable-energy value chain.
But beyond the exhibition stands and commercial transactions, the event arrives at a critical moment for the energy industry.
The global energy system is undergoing a structural transformation driven by rising electricity demand, rapid growth in renewable energy, technological innovation, pressure to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and the need to make energy infrastructure more resilient to climate-related risks.
According to the International Energy Agency, global electricity generation increased by more than 850 terawatt-hours in 2025, with renewable energy accounting for the vast majority of the increase. Renewable generation grew by about 8.5%, while solar photovoltaic generation recorded its largest annual increase. Renewables accounted for about 34% of global electricity generation in 2025.
The growth of renewable energy is particularly significant for developing economies, where the energy transition is taking place alongside the need to expand electricity access and support industrialisation.
Africa remains central to this discussion. Millions of people across the continent still lack reliable access to electricity, while demand is expected to rise as populations grow, cities expand and industrial and digital economies develop.
This creates a distinctive challenge for African countries. Unlike mature electricity markets that are primarily focused on replacing existing generation with cleaner technologies, many African economies must simultaneously build new generation capacity, extend transmission and distribution networks and introduce renewable technologies.
Solar energy is increasingly important in this context because it can be deployed through both large-scale projects and decentralised systems, including mini-grids and standalone installations serving areas where conventional grid expansion can be more difficult or expensive.
Tanzania has made progress in expanding electricity access, with the World Bank reporting that national electricity access increased from 14% in 2011 to 46% in 2022.
The country's future energy requirements, however, are expected to increase alongside economic activity, urbanisation, industrial development and population growth.
This means investment in generation alone will not be sufficient. Transmission, distribution, storage, energy efficiency, grid management and decentralised renewable-energy systems will all be important components of Tanzania's evolving energy architecture.
Tanzania is also developing a broader policy framework to increase renewable energy deployment.
The National Renewable Energy Strategy 2024–2034 provides targets for solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and other renewable sources, reflecting an effort to diversify the country's energy system and expand the role of renewable technologies.
The strategy includes targets of 804 megawatts of solar capacity, 750 megawatts of wind, 215 megawatts of geothermal and 3,281 megawatts of large hydropower by 2034.
The implications extend beyond electricity generation. Renewable energy has potential applications in agriculture, water supply, clean cooking, transport and other productive sectors, creating opportunities for companies providing equipment, engineering services, financing and technological solutions.
Tanzania's climate commitments further reinforce the connection between energy policy and climate action. Under its updated Nationally Determined Contribution, the country has committed to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 30% to 35% against a business-as-usual trajectory by 2030, subject to international support.
The expansion of renewable energy is occurring against a backdrop of continued climate pressure. Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions remain at historically high levels even as clean-energy technologies expand. This makes the energy sector central to international efforts to limit emissions while ensuring that economic development is not constrained by inadequate energy supply.
Climate change is also increasingly an infrastructure issue. Extreme heat, flooding, drought and changing weather patterns can affect electricity generation, transmission and distribution. Energy planners therefore face the dual task of reducing the emissions associated with energy systems while ensuring that infrastructure can withstand a changing climate.
For Tanzania and the wider East African region, this creates an opportunity to approach the energy transition not simply as an environmental agenda, but as an investment, industrialisation and development agenda.
The energy conversation is also becoming increasingly regional. East African countries are investing in electricity interconnection and cross-border power trade, with the aim of improving reliability, increasing access to electricity and making more efficient use of available generation capacity.
The World Bank approved a $1.6 billion financing package in June 2026 for a regional programme supporting electricity transmission, power trade and decarbonisation in Eastern Africa. Its first phase includes the Uganda-Tanzania Interconnector Project, which is designed to establish a 1,000-megawatt transfer connection between the two countries and strengthen regional electricity integration.
For Tanzania, stronger regional connections could create opportunities extending beyond domestic electricity supply, including participation in regional power markets and increased demand for transmission equipment, engineering services, renewable-energy technologies and energy-management systems.
Against this backdrop, the value of the Dar es Salaam exhibitions goes beyond displaying products.
For international manufacturers and technology companies, the exhibitions provide an opportunity to introduce products to buyers and potential partners in Tanzania and the wider East African market. ExpoGroup describes Power & Energy Tanzania as a gateway for companies seeking access to the regional market.
For Tanzanian businesses, participation can provide exposure to international suppliers and technologies, potentially opening opportunities for distribution agreements, partnerships, technology transfer and new investment.
For investors and financiers, the exhibitions create a concentrated environment in which to engage companies operating across generation, transmission, solar, storage, electrical equipment and other energy-related segments.
For government institutions and regulators, such events can facilitate interaction with technology providers and investors while exposing policymakers and technical professionals to developments taking place in international energy markets.
For energy professionals and consumers, the exhibitions can provide access to emerging technologies and solutions, including solar systems, energy-storage technologies, power transmission equipment, energy-efficiency solutions and other technologies relevant to the region's energy challenges.
The wider economic benefits can also extend to local service providers through demand for logistics, accommodation, transport, hospitality, professional services and other businesses supporting international trade events.
The decision to bring international energy stakeholders together in Dar es Salaam reflects the city's growing role as a commercial gateway to East Africa.
More than 25 countries are expected to participate, including Tanzania, China, India, Kenya, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, bringing together companies and institutions from different parts of the global energy supply chain.
The exhibitions are expected to feature products and technologies covering power generation, transmission and distribution, solar systems, renewable energy, electrical engineering, energy efficiency and related technologies.
The opening ceremony is expected to be officiated by Deputy Minister for Energy Hon. Salome Wycliffe Makamba as Chief Guest, with ambassadors, government officials, financiers, utilities, regulators and senior industry representatives expected to attend.
The events have support from institutions including the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade), Tanzania Energy Association (TEA), NCD and the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA).
Ultimately, the significance of the 10th Power & Energy Tanzania and 10th SolarExpo Tanzania will be measured not only by the number of exhibitors or products displayed, but by the connections established and opportunities created between technology, capital and the region's growing energy needs.
As Tanzania and its neighbours seek to expand electricity access, strengthen infrastructure and respond to climate change, the energy sector is increasingly becoming a meeting point between economic development and environmental sustainability.
Dar es Salaam will therefore provide a physical meeting point for an industry undergoing a much larger transformation: how to deliver more energy to a growing population while making that energy system cleaner, more resilient and capable of supporting Africa's next phase of economic development.
The 10th Power & Energy Tanzania 2026 and 10th SolarExpo Tanzania 2026, organised by ExpoGroup, will take place from October 7 to 9, 2026, at the Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre in Dar es Salaam. Entry is free for trade visitors.