Lesotho hosts first-ever energy access dialogue to unlock renewable potential

Lesotho’s mountainous terrain has long complicated efforts to achieve universal energy access, despite its considerable untapped renewable energy resources. Effectively harnessing these resources is seen as key to providing affordable and sustainable energy to underserved communities.

The first-ever Lesotho Energy Access Dialogue (LEAD) took place on 25–26 June 2025 in Maseru, marking a significant step forward in addressing Lesotho’s persistent energy access challenges.

Organised by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and the NUL Energy Research Centre (NUL ERC), the forum gathered more than 150 participants from government, the European Union, the private sector, and academia to explore solutions for accelerating renewable energy deployment in the country.

Supported by Renewable Lesotho — a joint Team Europe initiative of the European Union Delegation to Lesotho, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European multi-donor programme GET.invest and other partners — together with the Department of Energy of Lesotho, the event provided a collaborative platform to promote renewable energy technologies and projects.

The forum featured 15 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge technologies and services designed to advance energy access across Lesotho. It also hosted the final module of the Lesotho edition of the renowned ARE Investment Academy, where trainees received completion certificates.

On Day 2, the GET.invest Matchmaking session enabled participants to schedule targeted meetings and network with other participants. The session saw 45 matchmaking meetings booked in total.

Building on this success, ARE and its partners plan to organise a second edition of the forum in 2026 to maintain momentum and continue driving Lesotho’s clean energy transition forward.