World Bank, AfDB joint initiative Mission 300 connects 50mn people amid African electrification drive

The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) announced on June 16 their joint Mission 300 initiative has connected more than 50mn people to electricity across 40 African countries, marking a significant milestone towards its target of providing power access to 300mn people by 2030.

Launched in 2024, Mission 300 aims to accelerate electrification across the continent through investments spanning the entire energy value chain, including power generation, transmission, distribution and off-grid solutions. The programme is jointly led by the World Bank and the AfDB and supported by partners including The Rockefeller Foundation, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

According to the institutions, the initiative is now delivering new electricity connections at nearly twice the pace recorded when the programme began. The accelerated rollout has been driven by a combination of infrastructure investment, policy reforms and increased mobilisation of public and private capital.

Tanzania has emerged as one of the programme's largest beneficiaries, with approximately 7.5mn people gaining access to electricity under Mission 300. The World Bank and AfDB said this represents a five-fold increase in the country's average annual electrification rate before the initiative. In Ethiopia, around 4.6mn people have been connected following reforms designed to reduce the cost of grid access.

Nigeria has also recorded significant gains, with more than 4.5mn people connected through private sector-led electrification programmes. The institutions said the Nigerian experience demonstrates how concessional financing, guarantees and policy support can help create commercially viable electricity markets while expanding access.

To date, the World Bank and AfDB have committed nearly $15bn in financing to Mission 300-related projects and mobilised approximately $4.5bn in co-financing. Other development partners have pledged more than $7bn to support electricity access and broader energy sector development across Africa.

The initiative seeks to address one of Africa's most persistent development challenges. According to the International Energy Agency, more than 600mn people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity, making the region home to the vast majority of the world's unelectrified population.

Mission 300 combines financing with policy reforms through country-led National Energy Compacts. These frameworks focus on expanding power generation, strengthening electricity networks, scaling renewable energy deployment and encouraging greater private sector participation. Thirty countries have already launched compacts, while Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Gabon, Rwanda and Uganda are expected to unveil their plans during the Africa Energy Forum this week.

"Fifty million people connected is a milestone — but the bigger story is the pace and the partnership behind it," said Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank Group. "At the end of the day, electricity is not just about power. It is about what it enables: jobs, business, health care, education, and opportunity."

Sidi Ould Tah, president of the African Development Bank Group, said the milestone should serve as a platform for further acceleration. "Governments, partners, private sector, and others who comprise what has evolved into an M300 movement must double down to achieve access for 300 million people by 2030."

Supporters of the initiative argue that expanding electricity access will be critical to sustaining economic growth, industrialisation and job creation as Africa's population continues to expand. The continent is expected to account for a large share of global population growth over the coming decades, increasing pressure on governments to improve infrastructure and basic services.