Africa’s landmark electrification drive, Mission 300, is gaining speed as the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) step up efforts to provide reliable and affordable electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
The initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on universal energy access, combining grid expansion, mini-grids, and off-grid solar solutions to strengthen energy systems and boost economic transformation.
New data from the World Bank’s Mission 300 Progress Portal, obtained by The PUNCH on Friday, show that over 32 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa have gained electricity access since the programme’s launch. This includes 14 million connections achieved in 2024 and another 17 million in 2025, representing 10.7 per cent progress toward the 2030 target. An additional one million connections are expected in 2026 as new projects come onstream.
According to the portal, 92 million more Africans are set to benefit from approved World Bank operations, while projects still in the pipeline are projected to reach 65 million others.
“Led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, Mission 300 is a unique initiative that brings together African governments, the private sector, and development partners to deliver affordable power, expand electricity access, boost utility efficiency, attract private investment, and improve regional energy integration,” the statement said.
Under the arrangement, the World Bank targets 250 million connections, while the AfDB will deliver 50 million by 2030.
Nigeria plays a central role through the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme a World Bank–supported project aimed at providing 17.5 million Nigerians with new or improved electricity access.
The DARES initiative will expand solar home systems and mini-grids, replace more than 250,000 diesel generators, and create thousands of jobs in the clean energy sector.
In July 2025, Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu disclosed that Nigeria’s Mission 300 compact would require $32.8 billion in investment, with $15.5 billion expected from private investors. The government has since established a Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit to coordinate reforms and ensure accountability.
Adelabu added that the administration is addressing sector bottlenecks, including market liquidity issues, unpaid arrears, and infrastructure deficits, revealing that verified government debts to power companies amount to about ₦4 trillion.
Nigeria’s compact also aims to double the national electricity access growth rate from 4 to 9 per cent annually and increase access to clean cooking solutions from 22 to 25 per cent per year.
Earlier in January 2025, African leaders endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration at the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit, pledging to scale up electricity access and submit national energy compacts to the African Union.
With Mission 300 accelerating, African governments and development partners are betting on the initiative to bridge the continent’s massive energy gap and power its next phase of economic transformation.
