Dar es Salaam. The government has urged the private sector, financial institutions, and development partners to scale up investments in the energy sector following the successful transformation of livelihoods for nearly two million people through the Energising Development (EnDev) programme.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy during celebrations to mark 13 years of the EnDev programme yesterday, the Commissioner for Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mr Innocent Luoga, saidA the market for clean energy solutions was now “real and growing”.
“To the private sector, suppliers, producers and entrepreneurs, I urge you to continue investing in quality, innovation and customer service,” Mr Luoga told stakeholders gathered at the Delta Hotel, adding that demand was real, and the government stood ready to support them.
The commissioner also called on financial institutions and Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (Saccos) to recognise the sector’s commercial potential.
“I urge you to continue expanding affordable credit and financial services to clean cooking enterprises and consumers. Energy access is a bankable sector, and your role is critical,” he added.
Transformation
Since its inception in 2013, the EnDev programme, a partnership involving the government, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and international donors, has significantly transformed Tanzania’s energy landscape. Mr Luoga said available data showed that access to clean cooking in Tanzania increased from 6.9 percent in 2021 to 28.6 percent in 2025, representing more than a fourfold rise in just four years.
He said under the National Clean Cooking Strategy (2024–2034), the government aimed to achieve 80 percent access by 2034.
The programme has expanded access to lighting solutions for about 300,000 people and clean cooking technologies for two million people.
“A major contributor to this progress has been the ‘Jiko Matawi’ improved cookstove, with more than 962,000 units sold through a network of 120 producers across 20 regions,” he said.
The stoves reduce fuel consumption by up to 40 percent, providing immediate economic and environmental benefits to households.
Systemic change and dignity
SNV Interim Country Director Mary Rauscher said the impact of the programme extends far beyond energy access statistics.
“At SNV, we are guided by a clear and ambitious vision: a world where all people live with dignity and have equal opportunities to thrive sustainably,” Ms Rauscher said.
She noted that families were saving money while women and girls gained more time for education and income-generating activities.
Ms Rauscher said the next phase of EnDev would focus on “African ownership and leadership”, with the African Union Commission serving as a key political partner.
“Sustainable development requires systems transformation. Whether in energy, agriculture or water, our approach focuses on strengthening institutions and enabling inclusive markets,” she explained.
National priority
According to Mr Luoga, the sector’s momentum is attributed to the “unwavering leadership” of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has elevated clean cooking to a national priority linked to public health and gender equality.
The commissioner said that despite the progress, challenges remained, including affordability constraints among rural households and the need for regulatory frameworks to keep pace with innovation.
The EnDev programme is supported through a multi-donor partnership involving the governments of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Sweden.
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