Tanzania’s Energy Minister Nazir Karamagi has announced that the Tanzanian government has set a target to provide electricity to 25 percent of the population by 2013. If the target is achieved it would see an increase in availability of electricity from 4 million to 10 million Tanzanians over 6 years.

Speaking at a press conference in Dar Es Salaam the Tanzanian capital the minister said "We had an aim of boosting electricity access to 25 percent by 2010, but because of some delays, it will be achieved by about 2012 or 2013,"

He made the revelation while launching the Rural Energy Agency (REA) and the Rural Energy Fund as part of the implementation of the project. He said that in order to meet the target the government has set aside 10bn Tanzanian Schillings this year for REA rural energy projects. The objective is to ensure the vast majority of rural people have access to electricity, he said.

The announcement coincides with a recent injection of over 300bn Schillings by local banks to boost the ailing state electricity firm, the Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO). TANESCO will use the money in a five year recovery plan to reduce it dependence on its hydro electric power.