A group of Japanese businessmen has expressed interest in investing around $100 million in the construction of a mini-hydropower plant in Manica province, in an initiative that could become the first model of its kind to be implemented in Africa.
According to Lusa, the project is expected to be developed in the village of Tsate, Macate district, and foresees the creation of an autonomous energy system operating outside the National Electricity Grid. The infrastructure is based on technology developed in Japan, with a focus on environmentally sustainable solutions adapted to areas with low electricity coverage.
According to a source linked to the group of investors, who recently visited the proposed site, the initiative aims not only to produce energy but also to demonstrate the viability of decentralized power generation models on the African continent.
During the visit, the provincial director of Finance in Manica, Nurmomade Cassimo, stated that the project’s implementation could take up to ten years, given its technical complexity and the scale of the planned infrastructure.
The push for isolated energy systems comes amid the gradual expansion of electricity access in Mozambique. Official data show that in 2025 the country recorded an average monthly growth of 1% in the number of households connected to the national grid, reaching a total of 3,769 new connections. In the same period, the national electrification rate reached 55.3% through the grid, while off-grid systems—including solar plants and mini-hydropower stations—served 736,080 users, accounting for 11.2% of off-grid access. Overall, the national electrification rate stood at 66.4%.
In this context, the Japanese investment could help diversify energy sources and accelerate electricity access in rural and remote areas, contributing to local economic development and reducing regional inequalities in the country.
Source: Diário Económico
