World Bank, AfDB Launch “Mission 300” to Bring Electricity to 300 Million Africans by 2030

Nairobi, Kenya — September 23, 2025, 08:00 EAT.

The World Bank Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have jointly committed to a major initiative to provide electricity access to 300 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa by the year 2030. Dubbed Mission 300, this program aims to combine infrastructure investment, policy reforms, and innovations in clean energy to close Africa’s large access gap. 

The Latest

• Under Mission 300, the World Bank plans to connect 250 million people, while the AfDB aims to reach an additional 50 million by 2030. 

• The program includes both grid expansion and off-grid (distributed renewable energy) solutions such as solar mini-grids and standalone systems, especially for remote or underserved communities. 

• A cadre of 15 fellows (early career energy professionals) will be placed in 17 priority countries with the weakest electricity access, working to support national energy compacts via technical assistance, financial modelling, and stakeholder coordination. 

Context in Brief

• Nearly 600 million Africans lack access to electricity. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 83% of the global electricity access deficit. 

• The idea was formally launched at the World Bank – AfDB partnership press release in April 2024. 

• At the Africa Energy Summit held in Dar es Salaam in late January 2025, several heads of state adopted the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration and started signing on to National Energy Compacts, which commit their countries to specific targets, reforms, and action plans under Mission 300. 

Policy, Legal & Process Elements

• Energy Compacts: These are country-led action plans that define how each nation will reach its access goals. They include policy reforms, regulatory adjustments, financing mechanisms, and ensuring utilities are financially sustainable. 

• Funding & Financing: The initiative involves a blend of public financing (from WBG & AfDB), private sector investment, and support from development partners and philanthropic institutions (e.g. The Rockefeller Foundation). 

• Monitoring & Accountability: Each participating country is expected to report progress through monitoring units, use least-cost planning and tools, and put in place reforms to make their power sectors more efficient and resilient. 

Stakeholders & Voices

• World Bank / WBG Leadership: Emphasises that energy access is foundational for growth, poverty reduction, jobs, health, education. 

• African Development Bank: Strong focus on collaboration with governments, reform, and mobilizing private capital. 

• The Rockefeller Foundation and Technical Partners: Supporting with experts and fellows to help countries translate compacts into action. 

• Affected Communities / Potential Beneficiaries: Rural and remote areas where lack of electricity has hindered education, health care, business growth, etc.

Evidence & Data Snapshot

Risks, Implications & Scenarios

• Regulatory & Policy Hurdles: Some countries have outdated, weak regulatory frameworks that dissuade private investment. Without reforms, grid-expansion or off-grid projects may move slowly.

• Financing Shortfalls: Even with WBG & AfDB backing, the cost is huge. Private sector and donor funding must align; exchange rate risk, political risk and utility inefficiency are potential obstacles.

• Infrastructure & Capacity Issues: Rolling out infrastructure (grid, transmission, distribution) is expensive and logistically difficult, especially to remote communities. Human resource shortages and weak institutional capacity could slow implementation.

• Environmental and Climate Resilience: Need to ensure electricity infrastructure can withstand climate impacts (storms, floods, droughts), and sustainable sources are prioritized.

On the flip side: successful implementation could have enormous benefits: improved healthcare (cold storage, clinics), education (lighting, digital learning), economic activity, more jobs, reduced dependence on polluting fuels, and progress in climate goals.

What We Don’t Know Yet

• Which countries will exactly make up subsequent cohorts beyond the first group of those in compacts.

• How much of the financing pledged has been disbursed / committed vs still in planning.

• Which specific utilities or grid projects are prioritized in each participating country.

• How off‐grid vs grid decisions will be tailored to local conditions (terrain, settlement patterns, logistics).

• What reforms each country has committed to and how enforceable they will be.

Timeline

• April 17, 2024: World Bank & AfDB formally launch the Mission 300 partnership. 

• January 2025: Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam; heads of state sign Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration; first National Energy Compacts adopted. 

• 2025-Q1 to Q2: Membership growth in compacts, deployment of fellows, mobilization of technical assistance. 

• 2030 (target date): Goal to provide electricity access to 300 million people.

What to Watch

• Which African countries are in the first cohort of compact adopters vs those joining later.

• Progress updates, such as number of people actually connected, funding disbursed.

• How off-grid (mini-grid, standalone solar) vs grid solutions are balanced.

• Policy reforms in electricity tariffs, utility governance, ease of doing business for energy firms.

• Private sector involvement (investment, startups) and how risks are managed (currency, political, environmental).

Editor’s Note: All data drawn from World Bank, AfDB, and related institutional announcements and reporting. Links and statements verified from multiple sources.