• Two agreements signed to develop cross-border power interconnection
• Project aims to secure Namibia’s electricity supply
• Line will link both countries to the Southern African Power Pool

Namibia and Angola have taken a major step toward connecting their electricity networks, laying the legal and technical groundwork for a high-voltage transmission line designed to strengthen regional energy security.

On April 14 in Luanda, national operators NamPower and RNT-EP signed two agreements tied to the Angola-Namibia interconnection project (ANNA). These include a joint development protocol and a bilateral power purchase agreement, covering the technical, institutional, and commercial framework of the project.

The initiative centers on the construction of a 166-kilometer, 400 kV transmission line linking the Kunene substation in Namibia to Cahama in Angola, with about 30 kilometers on the Namibian side. The project also includes transformer installations at Kunene and an additional 270-kilometer line between Omatando and Otjikoto.

Total investment is estimated at 941 million Namibian dollars, or about $57.5 million. Namibia plans to finance its share through the National Energy Fund, while funding arrangements on the Angolan side have not yet been disclosed.

The project is expected to play a key role in securing Namibia’s electricity supply by improving access to regional power sources.

Beyond bilateral benefits, the interconnection forms part of a broader regional integration effort. According to NamPower, the infrastructure will help establish an electricity corridor between the two countries and connect Angola’s grid to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

NamPower CEO Kahenge Haulofu said the ANNA project will help optimize and share energy resources, meet the evolving needs of the Southern African Power Pool, and strengthen regional energy security.

Scheduled for completion in 2029, the project reflects growing momentum behind cross-border electricity markets in Africa. Southern Africa’s SAPP remains one of the most advanced regional power trading systems, while other regions, including East Africa, are accelerating similar integration efforts.

Abdoullah Diop