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Erongo RED will introduce a temporary electricity credit system for low-income households in 2026, chief executive officer Immanuel !Hanabeb announced at the company’s 20th anniversary stakeholders gala on Friday.
The initiative, aimed at pre-paid users who run out of electricity before payday, will allow them to request between 10 and 30 units on credit, with repayment automatically deducted once users resume purchases.
“It’s not for free,” !Hanabeb said. “But you will be able to request… and we’ll recoup the cost later.”
The new scheme forms part of Erongo RED’s broader affordability strategy. The company currently subsidises over 11 000 vulnerable and elderly customers, with the annual subsidy value increasing from N$500 000 to more than N$20 million.
“We buy electricity at up to N$2.60 per unit and sell it at N$1.80,” !Hanabeb noted.
Despite annual revenues exceeding N$1.6 billion and assets over N$2 billion, !Hanabeb said more than 16 000 households in Erongo remain unelectrified.
The company aims to connect at least 1 806 new households in 2025, targeting a 2.5 percent to 5 percent increase in electrification annually, funding permitting.
Erongo RED also plans to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure, including a proposed charging station between Windhoek and the coast.
The company now serves over 53 000 customers and employs 310 staff, up from 103 at its founding in 2005.
