With Strong Support From International Partners, African Heads Of State Pledge To Transform The Continent’s Energy Sector

In order to power economic growth, enhance quality of life, and spur job creation throughout the continent, thirty African heads of state and government have pledged to implement specific reforms and take concrete steps to increase access to affordable, sustainable, and dependable electricity.

A significant step toward closing the energy gap in Africa, where over 600 million people lack access to electricity, was taken with the adoption of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

A key component of the Mission 300 initiative, which brings together governments, development banks, partners, philanthropies, and the private sector to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, are the commitments made in the Declaration.

More than $50 billion was committed by Mission 300 partners at the summit to support expanding energy access throughout Africa. The Declaration will now be presented for adoption at the February African Union Summit.

Mission 300 is the cornerstone of the jobs agenda for Africa’s expanding youth population and the basis for future development by tackling the core issue of energy access.

In their comprehensive National Energy Compacts, twelve nations—Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia—set goals to expand access to electricity, boost the use of renewable energy, and draw in more private investment.

These nation-specific plans, which emphasize affordable power generation, growing connections, and regional integration, are time-bound, data-based, and approved at the highest level. They want to increase clean cooking options and utility efficiency. These compacts find the most economical ways to provide electricity to underserved areas by utilizing satellite and electronic mapping technologies.

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It will take political will, long-term planning, and the full cooperation of Mission 300 partners to implement the National Energy Compacts. In order to stimulate more private sector investment, governments are setting the path with extensive reforms, more concessional financing, and strategic alliances with development banks and philanthropies.

“Access to electricity is a fundamental human right. Without it, countries and people cannot thrive. Our mission to provide electricity to half of the 600 million people in Africa without access is a critical first step. 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.” said Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group.

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group also, emphasized 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. Our collective effort is to support you, heads of state and government, in developing and implementing clear, country-led national energy compacts to deliver on your visions for electricity in your respective countries.”

During the summit, partners announced a series of commitments:

• African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group plan to allocate $48 billion in financing for Mission 300 through 2030, which may evolve to fit implementation needs.

• Agence Française de Dévelopment (AFD): €1 billion to support energy access in Africa.

• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): $1 billion to $1.5 billion to support Mission 300.

• Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group: $2.65 billion in support of Mission 300 and energy access in Africa from 2025-2030.

• OPEC Fund: $1 billion in support of Mission 300 and energy access in Africa.

In the meantime, the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group established Zafiri, an investment firm that backs private sector-led solutions like solar home systems and renewable mini-grids. In order to address the ongoing equity gap in Africa, Zafiri anchor partners will mobilize up to $1 billion and invest up to $300 million in the first phase.

The summit’s strong commitments from governments and partners show how special the Mission 300 partnership is. African nations are in a position to implement plans and provide real benefits to millions of people by combining public-private partnerships, increased funding, and government reforms.

The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was hosted by Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), and the World Bank Group (WBG), with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.

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