1. What is Mission 300?
Mission 300 is an ambitious initiative launched by the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), along with partners, to accelerate energy access in Africa while ensuring that energy meets growing demand, brings economic growth and creates jobs. With the target of connecting 300 million people to electricity by 2030, the WBG will connect 250 million people and the AfDB another 50 million people.
This effort is a unique force for change that brings together high-level political support for energy reform, together with unprecedented mobilization of resources and broad-based partnerships to support scalable energy projects that can transform the energy landscape in Africa.
Through Mission 300, African governments, the private sector, and development partners are uniting to deliver affordable power generation, expand electricity access, boost utility efficiency, attract private investment and improve regional energy integration that drives economic transformation. By addressing the fundamental challenge of energy access, Mission 300 serves as a cornerstone of the jobs agenda for Africa¡¯s growing youth population, and the foundation for the continent¡¯s future development.
A critical piece of Mission 300 is the leadership of African governments in preparing and implementing National Energy Compacts. These compacts outline critical reforms and actions to advance energy access in a reliable, affordable, and sustainable manner.
By working together through Mission 300, governments, development partners, the private sector, and civil society can transform the lives of millions of people across the continent.
2. Why is Mission 300 focused on Africa?
Almost half of Sub-Saharan Africa¡¯s population¡ªapproximately 600 million people¡ªhave no access to electricity. This is close to 83% of the people across the world living without electricity. The lack of access hinders economic development, limits opportunities, and forces households and businesses to rely on expensive and polluting alternatives like kerosene and diesel. Access to electricity is foundational to Africa¡¯s development and is essential to fueling economic growth that can drive job creation.
Electricity powers small businesses and digital development, it improves healthcare, it makes agriculture more efficient, and it attracts industry and investment. Without it, countries and people cannot thrive.
Now is the time to fast-track energy access in Africa. Technological breakthroughs, digitalization, and innovative finance and business models are creating unprecedented opportunities for powering Africa. At the same time, the growth and diversification of Africa¡¯s energy sector will create abundant opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
3. What will Mission 300 do?
- Connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. This includes both grid and off-grid solutions to ensure widespread access.
- Improve power generation, transmission and regional interconnections, while advancing sector reform and crowding in private sector investment to ensure quality, reliability, and affordability of power supply.
- Accelerate the transformation of Africa's energy sector by expanding distributed renewable energy solutions.
- Support National Energy Compacts that African governments are implementing to advance reforms that aim to:
- Facilitate affordable power generation.
- Promote regional integration and cross-border power trade.
- Enable affordable last-mile access, including by scaling up distributed renewable energy, including solar powered mini-grids and standalone solar systems.
- Empower local communities through inclusive access to energy, particularly for marginalized and rural populations.
- Promote clean cooking solutions that have outsized benefits for the health of women and girls.
- Encourage private sector investment and public-private partnerships. Leverage private capital and expertise to scale up energy projects.
- Strengthen the financial viability of power utilities.
4. Who are the key partners in Mission 300?
The success of Mission 300 depends on extensive collaboration among all stakeholders:
- ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are significantly increasing their financial support to the energy sector to accelerate implementation of energy projects to reach 300 million in Africa by 2030. The WBG and AfDB are also supporting African governments with their energy reform agendas and facilitating private sector participation to boost investment and accelerate transformation.
- Governments are taking the lead on reforms that are critical to supply affordable, reliable energy. National Energy Compacts serve as blueprints for critical reforms and actions to scale up electricity access a