30 African nations commit to energy reforms as world bank, AfDB pledge billions

Thirty African Heads of State and governments have pledged to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity as part of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, endorsed at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

The initiative aimed to drive economic growth, improve quality of life, and create jobs across the continent.

The World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) hailed the declaration as a major milestone in closing Africa’s energy gap, where over 600 million people lack electricity.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the two institutions highlighted the importance of the agreement, which would now be submitted to the African Union (AU) Summit in February for adoption.

At the summit, Mission 300 partners committed more than US$50 billion to accelerate energy access across Africa.

The initiative brings together governments, development banks, private investors, and philanthropies to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, described the summit as a significant moment for African leadership in delivering power and clean cooking solutions that will transform lives and economies.

Twelve countries—Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia—presented National Energy Compacts that set clear targets to expand electricity access and increase the use of renewable energy.

These compacts focus on affordable power generation, expanding electricity connections, regional integration, improving utility efficiency, and boosting clean cooking solutions.

Using satellite and electronic mapping, the countries aim to identify the most cost-effective solutions for underserved areas.

During the summit, key financial commitments were made to support the initiative.

The World Bank and AfDB plan to allocate $48 billion to Mission 300 through 2030, while Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has committed €1 billion for energy access.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) pledged between $1 billion and $1.5 billion, and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group announced $2.65 billion in support between 2025 and 2030. The OPEC Fund committed $1 billion to the initiative.

In addition, the World Bank and AfDB launched Zafiri, an investment company designed to support private sector-led solutions such as renewable mini-grids and solar home systems.

Zafiri’s anchor partners will invest $300 million initially, with plans to mobilize up to $1 billion to address the persistent equity gap in Africa.

World Bank President Ajay Banga emphasized that energy access was a fundamental human right, stating that without electricity, countries and people cannot thrive.

He underscored the need for collaboration among governments, businesses, philanthropies, and development banks to achieve the mission.

AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina stressed the urgency of reforms to accelerate electrification, including expanding the share of renewable energy, improving utility performance, ensuring transparency in licensing and power purchase agreements, and establishing predictable tariff regimes that reflect production costs.

The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was hosted by Tanzania, the AU, the AfDB, and the World Bank Group, 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.

By combining government reforms, increased financing, and public-private partnerships, African nations are positioning themselves to turn commitments into action and deliver electricity to millions, transforming economies and livelihoods.

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