How can Lesotho build an electricity sector that is financially sustainable while keeping electricity affordable and responding to the needs of consumers? This question is at the heart of a two-day stakeholder consultation workshop taking place on 26–27 August 2026 in Maseru, Lesotho.
Organised by the Lesotho Electricity and Water Authority (LEWA), with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the workshop brings together government representatives, energy sector institutions, technical experts, consumer representatives, academia and other stakeholders to discuss the findings of the Cost-of-Service Study (CoSS) and proposed recommendations on the electricity tariff structure.
The Study provides evidence on the costs associated with the provision of electricity and offers an important basis for informed consideration on the future of the sector. The workshop provides an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the study findings, consider their implications and discuss how tariff reform can contribute to a more financially sustainable electricity sector while safeguarding affordability and consumer protection.
From evidence to action
The consultation highlights an important principle of energy sector transformation: meaningful and sustainable reform requires evidence, dialogue, institutional capacity and collective action.
The stakeholder dialogue creates a platform for examining what the study findings mean for different categories of consumers and for the sustainability of the electricity sector. The discussions will focus on the proposed recommendations and their potential implications, with particular attention to the needs of vulnerable consumers. They will also provide an opportunity to share the key findings and recommendations with a broader group of stakeholders, including consumer representatives, and to gather their views.
Beyond the workshop itself, the discussions are expected to help inform the next steps towards a practical approach to electricity tariff reform that balances the financial sustainability of the electricity sector with affordability, service quality, and consumer protection. This workshop contributes to the ambition of Mission 300, the joint initiative of the African Development Bank and the World Bank aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
