Tanzania-based conglomerate Amsons Group's push to increase presence in East and Southern Africa has expanded with the sealing of a US$600 million (about KES78 billion) solar energy investment in Zambia.

On Tuesday, the Group announced that it will invest in a 1 Gigawatt (GW) solar power plant through Africa Power Generation, a Zambian-registered renewable power generation investment consortium, as part of its ongoing business diversification.

"This 1 GW investment is a game-changer. It directly addresses our national crisis by providing reliable, clean, and non-hydro dependent power,” noted Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema in a statement.

The President added that: “The sheer scale of this project, facilitated by our government's commitment to efficiency and transparency, ensures that we are decisively on track to meet, and possibly exceed, our target of adding 1,000 megawatts of new solar power to the grid. This means an end to load shedding and a stable foundation for the massive economic growth we are pursuing.”

The announcement by Amasons Group came out on the day the firm through its subsidiary Kalahari Cement secured a controlling stake in the East African Portland Cement (EAPC) and exactly a year after the Tanzania-based conglomerate purchased Bamburi Cement. 

Already, Amsons Group has presence across manufacturing and the distribution of petroleum products in sub-Saharan Africa.

Amsons Group Managing Director Mr Edha Nahdi underscored the project’s critical role in the nation’s economic and climate resilience strategy. 

The firm's investment in lean energy signals a major strategic pivot into utility-scale power generation in strategic markets, including Kenya, leveraging its regional presence and financial strength. 

Nahdi revealed that the firm is also exploring renewable energy opportunities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, among other sub-Saharan African countries.

President Hichilema hailed Amsons Group as a reputable organization in the region, with the capacity to invest in such a large project aimed at stabilizing the nation's energy requirements.

The President reaffirmed that foreign direct investments of this nature are central to his administration’s goal of 10 GW of new power capacity by 2030, supporting the regional Mission-300 initiative to power 300 million Africans.

“At Amsons Group and Africa Power Generation, we are immensely proud to partner with the Republic of Zambia on this historic, transformative project as development partners,” Mr Nahdi said.

He added, “This 1 GW solar investment is built on a shared belief in sustainable development and the immense potential of Zambia. This project is not merely about generating electricity; it is about creating sustainable jobs, building local capacity, and contributing to a resilient energy system that will power homes, schools, and industries for decades to come. We are committed to fast-tracking implementation to deliver clean power to the Zambian people as quickly as possible.”

The US$600 million, 1 GW solar power plant is a game-changer for energy resilience and represents one of the largest single Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Zambia’s and Sub-Saharan Africa's power sector, directly addressing Zambia's urgent need to move away from its over-reliance on hydro power. 

Recent prolonged droughts, worsened by climate change, have severely impacted water levels at major hydroelectric facilities, leading to persistent electricity deficits and load shedding.

The Amsons Group, a major industrial conglomerate headquartered in Tanzania with extensive operations in cement, logistics, and manufacturing across the African Great Lakes Region, is utilising its dedicated subsidiary, Africa Power Generation, to execute the solar project.

As the project moves towards a defining milestone, Africa Power Generation remains firmly committed to working alongside the Government of Zambia and ZESCO. 

Through close coordination and strong stakeholder alignment, the company aims to ensure a smooth transition into the implementation phase and to anchor the project as a significant and lasting contributor to Zambia's energy landscape.