The Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan says that the sharp increase in fees for the use of radio frequencies by mobile operators is intended to regulate the market and ensure fair competition, and will not lead to higher prices or a decline in the quality of internet services.

Speaking at a press conference on January 28, Communications Service head Isfandiyor Saidullo said radio frequencies are a limited state resource and must be used efficiently.

“When mobile operators set their tariffs, the cost of using state resources, including radio frequencies, is already taken into account. Despite the increase in frequency fees, we do not expect service prices to rise. This decision is aimed solely at regulation and creating favorable conditions for healthy competition,” he said.

According to Saidullo, some operators previously acquired radio frequencies at low cost but did not use them, effectively blocking sector development and limiting opportunities for other companies.

“Once pricing is adjusted, operators will be motivated to use frequencies efficiently rather than hold them unused,” he added.

ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЕ

Saidullo explained that frequency fees vary depending on the region and the number of subscribers. He said that if operators use frequencies effectively and ensure nationwide 4G coverage, the financial burden would be minimal and would not affect consumer tariffs.

Under a government decree that took effect in September last year, fees for using 2G and 3G frequencies increased about 400 times, while fees for 4G and 5G rose more than 560 times. In Dushanbe, the annual cost of one frequency now stands at 14,040 somoni for 2G–3G and between 16,380 and 19,890 somoni for 4G–5G. Previously, the fee was 35 somoni per year regardless of the communication standard.

Mobile operators have so far declined to comment publicly. However, industry representatives speaking on condition of anonymity say the changes could result in additional costs amounting to tens of millions of somoni.

“If a company previously paid around 3,500 somoni per year for 100 frequencies, under the new rules in Dushanbe this amount could rise to 1.4 million somoni for 2G–3G and nearly 2 million somoni for 4G–5G,” one operator representative said.

Experts note that some companies use 200 to 300 frequencies or more, significantly increasing the financial burden. Higher tariffs have also been introduced for radio frequency use in other segments of the communications sector. 

Bishkek has hosted a two-day B5+1 Forum, which is concluding today.

Radio Liberty reported on February 4 that the event brought together government officials and business leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States to explore investment opportunities and strengthen economic cooperation.

According to RFE/RL, One of the forum’s most prominent participants is U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Ambassador Sergio Gor, who told reporters that Washington is committed to expanding economic and trade engagement with Central Asia.

“The United States wants to work with this region. We prioritize Central Asia and intend to build on this engagement over the next three years of this administration,” Gor was cited as saying. He reportedly acknowledged that the region had received limited attention in the past, adding that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, Washington aims to change that approach.

U.S. companies are reportedly playing an active role at the forum. All American Rail Group, a U.S. rail infrastructure firm, is exploring potential projects in Kyrgyzstan, reflecting American interest in regional transport development alongside existing Chinese-led railway initiatives.

Other U.S. participants include GE Healthcare, Pfizer, Abbott, Nasdaq, and StoneX. For Central Asian businesses and government officials, the forum provides a platform to present domestic projects and forge partnerships aimed at translating investment discussions into concrete agreements.

Delegations from all five Central Asian countries are taking part, combining government representatives and business leaders in panel discussions, networking events, and bilateral meetings with U.S. counterparts.

RFE/RL notes that despite ongoing challenges in attracting foreign investment, several Central Asian countries have recently taken steps to strengthen economic ties with the United States. Uzbekistan has announced plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in U.S. projects over the next decade, covering infrastructure, technology, agriculture, and energy. Kazakhstan, meanwhile, highlighted the steady growth of its trade and investment cooperation with American companies.

Central Asia has strong economic and investment potential and is interested in expanding cooperation with the United States, Sulton Rahimzoda, Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), said on February 4 at the opening of the B5+1 Forum in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek.

The B5+1 Forum, focused on improving the business environment in Central Asian countries and strengthening cooperation between U.S. businesses and those of the region, reprotedly brought together representatives of government agencies, business communities and international organizations from Central Asia and the United States.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Rahimzoda highlighted the mutual interest of Central Asian countries and the U.S. in deeper and more effective engagement. He noted that the C5+1 format has proven to be an effective platform for practical cooperation.

“Central Asia, viewed as a region rather than as individual countries, possesses significant natural and infrastructure resources. The Central Asia–U.S. format is an important platform for close interaction, including administrative cooperation,” he said.

Rahimzoda also pointed to the region’s strong economic growth potential, abundant natural resources, substantial energy capacity, and favorable conditions for the development of agriculture, industry, transport and logistics.

According to him, the region’s young and rapidly developing human capital provides a solid foundation for expanding investment and trade cooperation with U.S. partners. At the same time, he stressed that fully unlocking Central Asia’s potential requires further improvements to the business environment and more active information exchange with international partners, including the U.S. business community.

The Tajik delegation to the B5+1 Forum also included representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Tajikistan’s Minister of Finance Fayziddin Qahhorzoda and Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi have signed a financing agreement for the construction of the Roghun Hydropower Plant (HPP). The document was signed on February 4 in Dubai, the Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan reported.

Under the agreement, the Abu Dhabi Fund Development will provide $100 million for the project. The funding is intended to advance construction and infrastructure works under Lot 2 of the country’s strategic Roghun hydropower project.

Lot 2 covers key construction stages, including the installation of hydropower equipment, construction and outfitting of the powerhouse, electrical works, as well as infrastructure and auxiliary facilities.

The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan previously said that some financing agreements signed with international partners have already entered into force. Activating agreements concluded in 2024–2025 required meeting a number of conditions, which took time.

According to the ministry, external financing will help accelerate project implementation in 2026 and ensure the commissioning of the third unit on schedule. At present, construction of the Roghun plant is being financed entirely from domestic resources.

Official data show that agreements with development partners totaling more than $2 billion have been secured for the project. These include grants from the World Bank ($650 million), loans from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ($500 million), financing from the Islamic Development Bank and Arab funds ($450 million), and a $50 million grant from the Qatar Fund for Development. Negotiations are also under way to attract an additional $1.7 billion.

Since 2008, more than 48.1 billion somoni have been spent on the Roghun project from the state budget and other sources. Construction work is nearly 60% complete, according to the Ministry of Energy. The dam has reached an elevation of 1,116 meters above sea level and a height of 151 meters.

As of December 31, 2025, the two temporary units of the Roghun Hydropower Plant have generated a total of 9.9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity since their commissioning.

With an installed capacity of 3,780 MW, the Roghun HPP will become the largest hydroelectric facility in Central Asia. Once fully operational, annual electricity generation is expected to exceed 14.5 billion kWh. The powerhouse will house six units with a capacity of 630 MW each, with the final unit scheduled to be launched in 2029.

Two units currently operate at reduced capacity; they were commissioned in 2018 and 2019.

Meanwhile, Emirates news agency WAM cited Al Suwaidi as saying that the Roghun HPP contributes to strengthening energy security by providing sustainable, reliable, and affordable electricity to meet growing demand. It also enables the creation of significant water storage capacity and supports the integration of regional electricity markets.

According to him, the project also enables the storage of approximately one billion cubic meters of water for power generation, irrigation support, and the provision of drinking water for communities, delivering a wide-ranging developmental impact that extends beyond Tajikistan to the broader Central Asia region.

The increase in electricity consumption in Tajikistan indicates improvements in the country’s economic and social sectors, as well as rising living standards, according to OJSC Electricity Distribution Networks .

The company reported that about 20 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity were received from producers in 2025, nearly 2 billion kWh more than in 2024.

The main drivers of higher electricity consumption include population growth and an increase in the number of subscribers, the absence of power outages at industrial enterprises during restriction periods, and uninterrupted supply in city and district centers, which account for 50–70% of total electricity consumption.

Additional factors include the connection of electric vehicle charging stations, which consume 30–40 million kWh per month, as well as the elimination of daytime load shedding during restriction periods due to voltage control and electricity imports from Uzbekistan.

In 2025, the total number of active consumers increased by 118,299. The company notes that between 400 and 700 MW of new capacity is connected to the power grid annually, making it one of the key contributors to rising electricity demand.

As a result, new consumers generate additional annual demand of 3.5–6.1 billion kWh, assuming year-round operation, significantly affecting overall electricity consumption nationwide.

Payments, debt and losses

More than 16.8 billion kWh of electricity were billed in 2025, with a total value exceeding 7.1 billion somoni. Compared to 2024, sales volumes rose by 11.3%, while revenues increased by 28.6%.

The average tariff stood at 42.26 dirams per kWh, up 5.71 dirams year-on-year. Actual collections amounted to just over 6.5 billion somoni. The shortfall was attributed mainly to incomplete and delayed payments by budget-funded organizations and Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO).

The largest debtors include households (about 1.2 billion somoni), TALCO (823.8 million somoni), pumping stations of the Land Reclamation and Irrigation Agency (279.7 million somoni), water supply and sewerage enterprises (126.8 million somoni), federally funded institutions (111.7 million somoni), OJSC NBO Roghun (97.5 million somoni), and other consumers, whose combined debt exceeds 1 billion somoni.

As of January 1, total outstanding debt exceeded 3.6 billion somoni (more than $380 million), up by 597.2 million somoni from a year earlier.

At the same time, electricity distribution losses declined from 19.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025. More than 3.1 billion kWh were lost last year, which is 500 million kWh less than the previous year.

The reduction in commercial losses is attributed to the rollout of smart meters in Dushanbe and other cities and districts, as well as grid modernization and the transition to fully digital electricity metering systems.