A new regional partnership bringing together Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and France seeks to expand the geothermal capabilities of East Africa, beyond Kenya, with a strong emphasis on industrialisation, climate resilience and sustainable economic transformation.
The Kenya-Tanzania-Uganda France (KTUF) Geothermal Partnership, supported by Agence Française de Développement (AfD) is implementing a two-year technical assistance programme running from May 2025 to May 2027. The initiative seeks to accelerate geothermal sector development across the region while strengthening collaboration among governments, energy institutions, investors and technical experts.
Unlike many conventional energy programmes focused solely on electricity generation, the KTUF initiative is placing significant attention on "direct use" geothermal applications - the use of geothermal heat in industries such as agriculture, dairy processing, aquaculture, manufacturing, heating and cooling systems. These applications are increasingly being viewed as critical to Africa's low-carbon industrial future.
East Africa sits on one of the world's richest geothermal belts along the Great Rift Valley, yet much of the resource remains underdeveloped. Kenya is currently Africa's leading geothermal producer, largely through projects managed by Geothermal Development Company (GDC) and Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen). Tanzania and Uganda are also seeking to unlock their geothermal potential as part of broader clean energy transitions.
GDC with its storied success in holistic geothermal development, will play a critical role in supporting other countries in the region through expertise and experiential tours.
