Global organizations launch “Mission 300,” an African electrification initiative to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and The Rockefeller Foundation have announced a new collaboration to electrify Africa. The African electrification initiative, dubbed “Mission 300” (M300), aims to improve electricity access for 300 million Africans by 2030, addressing approximately half of the continent’s population currently without power.
This ambitious project builds upon decades of African electrification initiatives, which have historically faced significant challenges. Previous African electrification initiatives, such as the World Bank’s “Lighting Africa” program launched in 2007, made progress but fell short of achieving universal access. The African Development Bank’s “New Deal on Energy for Africa” in 2016 set targets for universal access by 2025, but implementation hurdles and funding gaps have slowed progress. M300 represents a renewed, collaborative approach to tackle these persistent challenges.
The initiative includes launching a new technical assistance facility, forming an M300 Leadership Group with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Bank, and activating private-sector financing for electrification programs. By aligning resources, expertise, and advocacy efforts, the partners seek to build upon past lessons and accelerate the pace of electrification.
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, “No economy can grow, industrialize or be competitive in the dark without electricity. Our partnership is further bolstered by the support of GEAPP, The Rockefeller Foundation, and SEforALL, as we collectively drive towards the goal of supporting Africa to achieve universal access to electricity.”
The Rockefeller Foundation and GEAPP have committed an initial $10 million for a new, flexible, short-to-medium-term TA facility. This facility is designed to deploy philanthropic capital swiftly in support of African governments and multilateral development banks’ efforts to accelerate the pace and efficiency of electricity access projects. Provisional approval for $10 million has been granted to support approximately 15 projects across 11 countries and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, described M300 as “the most important global development undertaking in decades,” emphasizing the need to more than double the current speed of electrification to achieve the goal by 2030.
The environmental impact of this massive African electrification initiative is a crucial consideration. While increased access to electricity is essential for development, there are concerns about potential increases in greenhouse gas emissions if the new power generation relies heavily on fossil fuels. To address this, M300 emphasizes the importance of clean energy solutions.
Woochong Um, CEO of GEAPP, stated, “This groundbreaking initiative is why our Alliance was created: collaboration is essential to achieving universal clean energy access, reducing carbon emissions and supporting livelihoods.” The African electrification initiative aims to leverage renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and hydropower to minimize the environmental footprint of the electrification process.
The partners are exploring innovative solutions like mini-grids and off-grid systems powered by renewable sources, which can provide electricity to remote areas without the need for extensive, carbon-intensive infrastructure. Additionally, the African electrification initiative includes plans for energy efficiency measures to maximize the impact of new electricity access while minimizing environmental consequences.
A joint governance body has been created to drive accountability, monitor progress, and ensure efficient operational structures. Co-chaired by SEforALL CEO Damilola Ogunbiyi, the group includes senior leaders from the AfDB, World Bank, GEAPP, and The Rockefeller Foundation.
To further advance M300, the partners are co-developing additional initiatives focusing on productive use of energy, local currency financing, support to developers, pooled procurement, and global advocacy. Andrew Herscowitz, former head of Power Africa, has been appointed CEO of the M300 Accelerator to coordinate and accelerate progress.
The partners aim to unlock a capital stack of at least $90 billion from multilateral development banks, development agencies, finance institutions, private businesses, and philanthropy. This effort is expected to create jobs, drive economic development, and reduce poverty overall.
To address immediate funding needs, the organizations are supporting a global advocacy effort to secure robust replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA) and the AfDB’s African Development Fund (ADF). The advocacy calls for $120 billion in commitments for IDA at the Final Pledging and Replenishment Meeting in December 2024, and a $25 billion ADF replenishment in 2025.
The M300 African electrification initiativerepresents a significant step towards addressing energy poverty in Africa, building on past efforts while incorporating lessons learned and new technologies. The collaboration between major global organizations and financial institutions underscores the scale and importance of this ambitious undertaking, which has the potential to transform millions of lives through improved access to clean, sustainable electricity.
