A bold new initiative aims to halve the number of people without access to electricity in Africa by 2030. Currently, almost 600-million people lack access to electricity.
Thirty African heads of state, the continent’s business leadership and development partners recently met in Tanzania’s largest city and financial hub Dar es Salaam to address the issue under an initiative championed by the African Development Bank in partnership with the World Bank.
The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit met, and a plan was made with one singular goal: to expand access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity to 300-million people in Africa by 2030, boosting growth, employment and quality of life.
Twelve countries — Chad, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia — presented detailed National Energy Compacts that set targets to scale up electricity access, increase the use of renewable energy and attract additional private capital.
Leaders pledged their commitment in a declaration during the summit at the end of January. Known as the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, it will be submitted to the AU Summit in February for adoption.
The energy summit aimed to address donor and recipient relations. Instead of the traditional aid approach, announced partnerships showed a more collaborative approach marking a shift in donor-recipient dynamics.
The African Development Bank and the World Bank are to allocate $48bn in financing for Mission 300 by 2030, which may evolve to fit the implementation needs of various countries.
Additional contributions to the initiative were made by Denmark, the UK and Spain. Japan will soon pledge funds. The funds have been donated to initiatives like the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Africa Green Infrastructure Alliance, a platform of the African Development Bank, Africa 50 and other partners that will develop sustainable infrastructure projects that can be adapted for investment.
The commitment is rooted in expanding renewable energy access through infrastructure, policy reforms and development aid. The programme will prioritise sustainable financing models and address critical challenges such as currency mismatches in project funding. The movement hopes to redefine Africa’s energy landscape and climate resilience.
African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina highlighted tangible progress, noting that “the share of the population with access to electricity in Africa significantly increased from 39% in 2015 to 52% in 2024”.
However, he stressed that having “571-million people still without electricity, accounting for 83% of the global population without electricity ... we must take decisive actions to further drive down these numbers”.
Many parts of the continent suffer from electricity shortages, a key barrier to development, which has ripple effects on health, education and economic growth. In some cases, hospitals struggle to keep essential medical equipment running, students study by candlelight, and businesses face significant stunting.
Yet the continent boasts abundant renewable energy sources like hydropower, solar and wind. Key challenges are infrastructure-related and poor investment.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said “over the next decade, 360-million young people in Africa will attempt to enter a workforce that is expected to only offer opportunities to 150-million, leaving 210-million — three of every five — out.
“Our mission to address the fundamental challenge of providing electricity to half of the 600-million people in Africa without access is a critical first step. It forms the cornerstone of a jobs agenda and the foundation for future development,” said Banga.
“To succeed, we must embrace a simple truth: no-one can do it alone. Governments, businesses, philanthropies and development banks each have a role — and only through collaboration can we achieve our goal.”
The pledge of over $50bn from development partners shows the urgency and recognition for sustainable long-term solutions to electrify the continent but in a way that doesn’t add to its climate footprint. The projects for renewable investment can deliver power to communities in a sustainable way that leverages the continent’s abundant solar, wind and hydropower potential.
Mission 300 will also examine how other African countries, such as Ethiopia and Kenya, showed that renewable access can be expanded with proper investment. Among these initiatives are decentralised renewable energy solutions, such as mini-grids, off-grid solar, and other efforts that can reach remote communities.
But challenges remain. Significant infrastructure gaps, weak regulatory frameworks and financing bottlenecks hinder progress. Many African governments struggle with inefficient state-owned utilities and transparent energy policies that could attract private sector investment.
To combat these issues, policies would need to focus on modernising electricity markets, ensuring cost-reflective tariffs and improving electricity transmission and distribution networks. To ensure investments reach their intended destinations, they must be converted to tangible projects with proper co-ordination and accountability.
The African Development Bank would need to work closely with governments to remove hurdles and speed up project implementation. Adesina emphasised the need for decisive action to accelerate electrification across the continent.
“Critical reforms will be needed to expand the share of renewables, improve utility performance, ensure transparency in licensing and power purchase agreements, and establish predictable tariff regimes that reflect production costs.”
Improving energy access to electricity is a fundamental human right, it is not only about economic development but about dignity, equity and the right to a quality life. Mission 300 must transform lives. It needs determined action, strategic policy shifts and long-term investment, he added.
• Ozayr Patel is a freelance journalist and editor. He has worked in the climate and environment space for about 10 years and been a journalist covering sport, news and other topics for 15 years.
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