Egypt has recently signalled a diplomatic and strategic interest in participating in one of southern Africa’s most significant future energy infrastructure projects. In early 2026, Her Excellency Mayada Essam Abdelrahman, Egypt’s Ambassador to Zambia, held high-level discussions with Zambia’s Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote, where the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme featured prominently on the agenda. The discussions form part of a widening regional energy cooperation agenda, underscoring Cairo’s aim to engage with peer governments on sustainable power development.
The Batoka Gorge project is a planned 2,400 MW run-of-river hydropower complex located on the Zambezi River straddling the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. When completed, the scheme would deliver approximately 1,200 MW of electricity to each country’s grid, bolstering energy security and providing a significant exportable power resource within the Southern African Power Pool.
Project status and feasibility work
After decades on the drawing board, efforts to revive Batoka Gorge have gained traction. The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) — a joint body established by Zambia and Zimbabwe to manage shared water resources — has embarked on a comprehensive update of key preparatory work for the project. This includes revising the engineering feasibility study and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to reflect current hydrological data, climate conditions and cost estimates.
In late 2025, the engineering and environmental update contract was awarded to AFRY, a global consultancy, to ensure that study outputs meet modern technical and regulatory expectations. These updated studies form a crucial step before developers can be procured and financing structures finalised.
Financing and implementation outlook
Zambia and Zimbabwe have each pledged US$220 million in equity to support the project’s revival, with a collective US$440 million gateway contribution intended to strengthen bankability and attract private capital partners. A resource mobilisation committee has been established, led by finance ministries of both countries, to secure further funding for construction and ancillary infrastructure.
Official planning documents and stakeholder statements place the completion of the updated feasibility work through 2025, followed by developer procurement and financial close potentially around 2026–2027. Once financing and contracting are concluded, construction — expected to span several years — could begin, pointing to a realistic completion horizon in the early to mid-2030s if implementation and funding proceed without major delays.
Regional and strategic importance
Beyond power generation, Batoka Gorge would stimulate economic activity in both countries, supporting jobs and regional development, while showcasing a model of public-private partnership (PPP) and multilateral collaboration. Egypt’s interest, expressed through diplomatic channels, represents an emerging trend of cross-border infrastructure dialogue in Africa, where countries with technical experience seek constructive roles in key regional projects.
As feasibility work progresses and financing structures crystallise, the Batoka Gorge scheme remains a flagship initiative positioned to transform southern Africa’s renewable energy landscape and enhance continental grid integration, with practical involvement from partners like Egypt potentially enriching its development pathway.