Mission 300 accelerates Africa’s electrification as the World Bank and AfDB connect 32 million people, driving the continent toward universal power by 2030

Mission 300 is gaining remarkable momentum as the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) intensify efforts to connect millions of Africans to affordable and reliable electricity by 2030.

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The ambitious initiative aims to provide electricity access to 300 million people across the continent, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on universal energy access.

Fresh data from the World Bank’s Mission 300 Progress Portal shows the pace of progress is quickening. By the end of 2024, over 14 million people had gained access to power through World Bank–financed projects.

That number jumped by another 17 million in 2025, reflecting a sharp rise in implementation across multiple African nations.

The figures bring the total number of new connections to 32 million, marking a 10.7 per cent milestone toward the ultimate goal of reaching 300 million people by the end of the decade.

According to the portal, another 92 million Africans are expected to benefit from approved World Bank operations, while 65 million more are projected to gain access under planned projects currently in the pipeline.

The World Bank said Mission 300 is “a unique partnership that brings together African governments, the private sector and development partners to deliver affordable power, expand electricity access, boost utility efficiency, attract investment and drive economic transformation.”

Nigeria at the Heart of Mission 300

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, stands as a central pillar of Mission 300. Through the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, more than 17.5 million Nigerians are expected to gain new or improved access to electricity.

The initiative focuses on expanding solar home systems and mini-grids, while phasing out over 250,000 diesel generators that have long burdened communities with high costs and pollution.

In July 2025, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, revealed that Nigeria’s compact under Mission 300 would require $32.8 billion in investment including $15.5 billion from private investors.

A Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit has been established to oversee implementation, reforms and investment tracking.

Adelabu assured stakeholders that the government is actively addressing market challenges such as liquidity, arrears and infrastructure deficits.

He confirmed that the Federal Government’s verified debt to power companies stands at around ₦4 trillion, adding that the administration is working to stabilise the sector.

The Nigerian compact sets bold targets: doubling annual electricity access growth from 4 to 9 per cent and increasing access to clean cooking solutions from 22 to 25 per cent yearly.

Continental Momentum Builds

Across Africa, Mission 300 is driving a wave of optimism. In January 2025, heads of state adopted the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, pledging to accelerate electricity access and submit national energy compacts to the African Union.

Together, the World Bank Group and AfDB are steering a transformative movement — combining grid expansion, mini-grids and off-grid solar projects to bring light to millions, improve productivity and create green jobs.

Analysts say the mission’s success could reshape Africa’s development trajectory, unlocking industrial growth, enhancing living standards and cementing the continent’s clean energy transition.

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With 32 million lives already transformed, Mission 300 is proving that Africa’s dream of universal electrification is no longer distant — it’s steadily becoming reality.