Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, is set to reshape the continent’s energy landscape. African and global leaders will gather in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, next week for the inaugural Africa Heads of State Energy Summit, where they will commit to this transformative project. The collaboration, spearheaded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank Group, aims to bridge the vast power gap in Africa by utilizing cutting-edge technology and innovative financing.
The Dar es Salaam summit will bring together heads of state and government from Africa, along with stakeholders from the private sector, to develop a roadmap for achieving universal access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy by 2030. The urgency of this initiative is clear: nearly 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, and the continent’s economic growth and global competitiveness are severely hampered by this energy deficit.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, stressed the importance of addressing Africa’s energy needs: “No economy can grow, industrialize, or be competitive in the dark. This partnership is a game changer for Africa’s development.” The initiative, supported by the G7 and G20, will work to eliminate the energy gap and provide access to millions of people across the continent.
The summit is expected to produce two key outcomes: the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, which will include commitments and reform actions from African governments, and the first set of National Energy Compacts. These compacts will serve as blueprints for country-specific energy transformations. Twelve countries—Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia—will present their energy compacts in the first phase of Mission 300. These nations represent over half of the global population without electricity access, and their participation is crucial for achieving the goal of universal energy access.
At the summit, there will also be a focus on energy sector successes, accelerating investments in energy infrastructure, and improving regional power planning and policy frameworks. Discussions will center around the Continental Master Plan and the African Single Electricity Market to create a unified approach to energy development across the continent.
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, outlined a three-pronged approach for success: government action, financing from multilateral development banks, and private sector investment. To support these efforts, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and The Rockefeller Foundation have committed $10 million to technical assistance for electricity projects in 11 African countries.
The African Development Bank plays a central role in the Mission 300 initiative. With its current energy project portfolio expected to provide 43 million connections, the Bank is committed to increasing that number to 50 million under Mission 300. This, along with the World Bank’s pledge of 250 million connections by 2030, will significantly accelerate electrification efforts across the continent. The AfDB’s ongoing projects, such as Kenya’s Lake Turkana Wind Power Project and the Desert to Power (D2P) initiative, demonstrate the Bank’s commitment to driving Africa’s energy transition. D2P, which aims to transform the Sahel region into a solar energy hub, will bring electricity to 250 million people across 11 countries.
Mission 300 is not just about infrastructure; it represents a promise of transformation for millions of Africans. Access to reliable electricity will improve daily lives, stimulate economic development, and foster sustainability. The Dar es Salaam Energy Summit will be a critical milestone in this journey, with the partnerships and commitments made there paving the way for universal energy access across Africa.
As Dr. Adesina aptly put it, “The entire world will be watching us” as Africa embarks on this electrifying journey.
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