JUMEME’s unique mini-grid model gains traction in Tanzania

JUMEME is deploying a solar mini-grid model in Tanzania that combines electricity provision with local business development, specifically through its 'KeyMaker Model' which leverages local resources like tilapia fishing to create sustainable revenue streams. Following a successful pilot on Ukara Island, the company is expanding to 11 mini-grids by the end of 2018, with long-term goals of 300 mini-grids serving one million people.

• JUMEME utilizes the 'KeyMaker Model,' where the mini-grid operator partners with village communities to market local natural resources. In the Ukara Island pilot, this involves collecting tilapia from local fishermen, freezing it using mini-grid electricity, and selling it in Dar es Salaam, allowing the company to pay fishermen higher prices while maintaining a profitable margin.
• The company's approach differs from the 'A-B-C Model,' which prioritizes securing large anchor clients first. JUMEME focuses on early community engagement and productive use of electricity to ensure the sales revenues necessary to cover utility costs.
• The pilot project in Bwisya village on Ukara Island features a 95-kilowatt hybrid power station serving 1,500 people. This has enabled the growth of tilapia-based fish farming, ice production, irrigation for millet and sunflowers, and women-led businesses such as fruit drink stands and hair salons.
• JUMEME is scaling its operations with 11 solar mini-grids expected to power 20 island villages by the end of 2018, adding 5,000 connections for households, businesses, and public facilities like health centers and schools. Long-term targets include expanding to the mainland for 8,000 more connections and eventually scaling to 300 mini-grids serving one million people.
• The business model relies on a mix of private investment and significant grant funding. The European Union provided 46 percent of the total financing, with additional grants from Tanzania’s Rural Energy Agency, the African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund, GIZ, and EEP.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2018). JUMEME’s unique mini-grid model gains traction in Tanzania. https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/jumemes-unique-mini-grid-model-gains-traction-in-tanzania

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. JUMEME’s unique mini-grid model gains traction in Tanzania. 2018. https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/jumemes-unique-mini-grid-model-gains-traction-in-tanzania.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=JUMEME’s unique mini-grid model gains traction in Tanzania |date=17 September 2018 |url=https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/jumemes-unique-mini-grid-model-gains-traction-in-tanzania |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2018jumemes, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{JUMEME’s unique mini-grid model gains traction in Tanzania}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2018}, month = sep, url = {https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/jumemes-unique-mini-grid-model-gains-traction-in-tanzania}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }