Mission 300 Expands as 17 More African Nations Launch Energy Compacts

Mission 300, the flagship partnership between the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the World Bank Group to bring electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030, took a decisive leap forward this week with the unveiling of a second batch of National Energy Compacts.

The launch, held in New York on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, showcased commitments from seventeen African countries, bringing the total number of countries with finalized compacts to twenty-nine.

Country-Led, Data-Driven Compacts

The National Energy Compacts are comprehensive frameworks that outline each government’s targets, policy actions, and financing commitments for expanding electricity access. They are country-led, developed with input from local communities and civil society groups, and backed by mechanisms for rigorous monitoring and accountability.

The seventeen countries in the new cohort, collectively dubbed “Cohort 2,” include: Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, São Tomé & Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

They follow the first cohort of twelve countries that launched their compacts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in January 2025, at a high-level summit attended by 21 Heads of State and Government.

Leaders and Global Partners at the Launch

The New York launch drew high-level leaders, including President Taye Atske Selassie of Ethiopia, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Prime Minister Sam Matekane of Lesotho, Prime Minister Américo d’Oliveira dos Ramos of São Tomé and Príncipe, and Michael Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

They were joined by government ministers, senior officials, development partners, private sector representatives, and philanthropic organisations.

Early Impact and Pipeline of Projects

In his remarks, Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, praised the momentum already achieved. He noted that the first batch of compacts identified over 400 policy actions, including strengthening utilities, reducing losses, simplifying regulation, and improving the investment climate.

“The progress is measurable. Because of M300, 30 million people are already connected in our partnership with the African Development Bank and others. A pipeline to reach more than 100 million additional people is already moving through procurement, financing, and construction,” Banga said.

AfDB’s Role and Vision

Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the AfDB Group, reiterated Mission 300’s alignment with the Bank’s broader strategy and the four “cardinal points” of his presidency:

1. Mobilizing resources at scale.

2. Reforming Africa’s financial architecture.

3. Harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend.

4. Delivering resilient infrastructure.

“At the African Development Bank Group, we are highly committed to speed, synergy, scale, and impact,” Ould Tah said. “The significance of M300 lies both in its high ambitions as well as in its emphasis on collaboration—bringing together, for the first time, governments, private sector, and philanthropies to bridge Africa’s energy access gap.”

Mobilizing Private and Philanthropic Capital

Highlighting the role of philanthropy and private investment, Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen, announced the financial close of its new USD 250 million Hardest-to-Reach Fund, developed in partnership with M300. The Fund will provide off-grid solar lighting and electricity connections to 70 million low-income Africans across 16 countries.

Addressing Africa’s Energy Access Crisis

Currently, 600 million Africans—representing 83% of the global population without electricity—remain unconnected. Mission 300 aims to cut this number in half by 2030.

• The World Bank Group has committed to connect 250 million people.

• The African Development Bank Group will directly connect 50 million people.

The AfDB will also play a central role in:

• Providing direct financing and mobilizing private investment.

• Offering technical assistance to governments for reforms and utility upgrades.

• Supporting the creation of Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs) within national administrations to ensure accountability.

Broad Coalition of Partners

Beyond the AfDB and World Bank, Mission 300 enjoys strong backing from major institutions, including:

• UN Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll)

• Rockefeller Foundation

• Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)

Additionally, a coalition of multilateral development banks and finance institutions—including the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the OPEC Fund—have pledged over US$6 billion in financing support.

A Transformative Moment

Mission 300 represents one of the most ambitious electrification drives in Africa’s history, aiming not only to expand energy access but also to boost economic development, improve education and health services, and strengthen climate resilience.

As Dr. Ould Tah emphasized, “Mission 300 is not just about connecting households—it is about powering opportunity, dignity, and growth across Africa.”