Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is strengthening power infrastructure along the Lobito Corridor, a strategic logistics route in Central and Southern Africa vital to diversifying America’s critical minerals supply chains. Today, USTDA signed an agreement with Anzana Electric Group Limited (Anzana) to fund a feasibility study to expand hydropower generation and upgrade electricity distribution networks across the Lualaba Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the North-Western provinces of Zambia. The project will improve power reliability for copper and cobalt mining operations and for more than three million people in the region.
“Reliable power allows mines to operate, businesses to profit, and families to thrive,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “USTDA’s investment will help to strengthen the mineral supply chains America’s security and economy depend on, while building the power systems our partners in the DRC and Zambia need to grow.”
The Lobito Corridor enables more direct transport of copper, cobalt, and other critical minerals to overseas markets through the Port of Lobito in Angola. USTDA’s feasibility study will assess rehabilitating existing hydropower assets, developing new hydropower generation, and expanding electricity distribution infrastructure needed to reliably power mining operations that feed the Corridor, as well as surrounding communities. The study will also identify suitable U.S. sources of supply and structure the project to attract financing, creating opportunities to deploy trusted U.S. equipment and engineering services in electricity distribution and hydropower generation.
USTDA-funded programming is carried out by U.S. companies. The request for proposals for this feasibility study will be posted here: www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
Reliable electricity access remains a critical challenge in the DRC and Zambia, where mining activity consumes the majority of available power, leaving households and local businesses underserved. This project will bring new connections to homes and businesses while enabling mining companies along the Lobito Corridor to reduce reliance on costly diesel generation.
Brian Kelly, CEO of Anzana Electric Group, said: “The countries along the Lobito Corridor are uniquely positioned to create long term economic value from their critical minerals. Realizing that ambition depends on reliable electricity, which underpins industrialization, drives local value addition, creates jobs and strengthens economies. Anzana’s win-win approach to infrastructure development brings together public and private partners to identify investment opportunities that advance national development priorities while strengthening strategic supply chains. We are proud to partner with USTDA on an initiative designed to catalyze long term private investment in the infrastructure needed to support sustainable economic growth and expand opportunity across the Lobito Corridor.”
USTDA’s assistance to Anzana complements other USTDA support for the Lobito Corridor, including infrastructure projects for power generation, digital connectivity, port modernization, and critical minerals extraction and processing.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is the U.S. government’s first mover on critical infrastructure development in emerging markets, advancing the shared strategic priorities of the United States and our overseas partners while creating opportunities to deploy trusted U.S. solutions. USTDA funds the upfront technical work that accelerates the development of infrastructure projects, helping them attract the financing they need for implementation and procurement of U.S. goods and services.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: press@ustda.gov