Dar es Salaam — In a landmark effort to tackle Africa’s energy access crisis, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group will host the Africa Energy Summit on January 27-28 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The event aims to advance Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
The summit will bring together African leaders, international partners, philanthropic organizations, and private sector stakeholders to accelerate energy access and support the continent’s transition to clean energy.
“The time to act is now,” said Franz Drees-Gross, World Bank Director of Infrastructure for West Africa. “Mission 300 represents not just an ambitious target but a movement… we are creating a lasting impact that will power Africa’s growth and enable millions of people to access the essential services electricity provides.”
Addressing the energy gap
Launched in April 2024, Mission 300 is an unprecedented collaboration between the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and global partners. The initiative leverages cutting-edge technologies and innovative financing to address a glaring energy gap in Africa, where nearly 600 million people–83% of the global population without electricity–remain without power.
Of these, 365 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. Eastern and Southern Africa alone account for over half of the world’s unelectrified population and nearly a quarter of those without access to clean cooking technologies, a group totaling 2.4 billion globally.
“The upcoming summit will unveil new initiatives aimed at boosting domestic resource mobilization and encouraging cross-border trade to spread risk and increase financing for energy access,” said Wale Shonibare, African Development Bank Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation.
The initiative has already garnered significant support. The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and The Rockefeller Foundation have pledged $10 million to establish a technical assistance facility supporting electricity projects across 11 African nations.
“What makes this initiative different from what institutions have done in the past is the ‘all hands-on deck’ approach, with a lot of institutions working hand-in-hand to deliver the ambitious agenda,” said Sarvesh Suri, Director for Infrastructure in Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Key outcomes and commitments
The two-day summit will culminate in the signing of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a commitment by African governments to fast-track energy access, promote renewable energy, and attract private investment.
Twelve countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire, are set to pledge reforms in five critical areas: low-cost power generation, regional energy integration, increased energy access, enabling private sector investment and strengthening utilities
Financial institutions such as the IFC are expected to announce new funding mechanisms to support the private sector in advancing distributed renewable energy solutions.
The summit will also showcase successful energy projects across Africa, form an alliance of stakeholders to accelerate infrastructure investments, and reinforce regional power planning and trade policies aligned with the Continental Master Plan and the African Single Electricity Market.
A vision for the future
Mission 300 adopts a dual approach, combining traditional grid expansion with innovative off-grid solutions to reach remote communities. The program prioritizes sustainable financing models while addressing challenges such as currency mismatches in project funding.
Daniel Schroth, African Development Bank’s Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, underscored the urgency of achieving the initiative’s goals. “It’s a tight journey because 2030 is only five years away, and we have to deliver, not expected connections, but actual connections to 300 million by 2030.”
The summit is expected to attract over 1,000 people across the African continent and beyond.
