Inside mission to electrify 300 million in Africa by 2030 

New York | Ahead of Climate Week NYC, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and The Rockefeller Foundation announced their support for “Mission 300,” an ambitious World Bank Group and African Development Bank (AfDB) initiative launched in April 2024 to improve electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.

 This collaboration includes the establishment of a new technical assistance (TA) facility, the formation of an M300 Leadership Group with the AfDB and the World Bank, and the activation of private-sector financing for Africa’s electrification programs.

By combining resources, expertise, and advocacy efforts, the partners hope to build and sustain momentum for the World Bank and AfDB’s ambition to transform energy access and reach roughly half of the continent’s population that is currently without power.

“The partnership of the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity is a game changer for Africa. 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.” ― Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group.  

“Access to electricity is a fundamental human right that is foundational to development. Achieving our shared objective of expanding electricity access to 300 million in Africa will require a broad coalition that must keep growing. We need action from governments, financing from multilateral development banks, and investment from the private sector.

“Together with GEAPP, The Rockefeller Foundation, and SE4ALL, we are strengthening our partnership to support projects on the ground and accelerate the pace of electrification.” ― Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group

The Rockefeller Foundation and GEAPP are committing an initial $10 million for a new, more flexible, short-medium-term TA facility that is designed to deploy philanthropic capital swiftly in support of African governments’ and the multilateral development banks’ (MDBs) efforts to accelerate the pace and efficiency of electricity access projects.

 Today, they are announcing provisional approval of $10 million for approximately 15 projects in 11 countries – Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia – and across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which is the largest regional economic organisation in Africa.

Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, said: “Whether our collective future is defined by crisis or opportunity depends on big bets like Mission 300—the most important global development undertaking in decades. Empowering 300 million Africans by 2030 will require us to more than double the current speed of electrification.

 That is only possible if we try new things, working in new ways with new partners at a scale previously unimaginable. This growing public-private alliance will prove what’s possible.”

Since August, the TA facility has received nearly three dozen requests for technical assistance, building on the innovative capacities of The Rockefeller Foundation’s public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC), and GEAPP, which invests more than half of its current portfolio value in Africa.

 This includes 63 projects in over 20 African countries, and GEAPP is already collaborating closely with the AfDB and the World Bank to design and accelerate electrification efforts in several African markets.

Woochong Um, CEO of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, stated, “GEAPP is pleased to collaborate with our Alliance partners, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, to expand Mission 300. This groundbreaking initiative is why our Alliance was created: collaboration is essential to achieving universal clean energy access, reducing carbon emissions and supporting livelihoods.

“As we mobilize resources and expertise to accelerate electrification efforts across Africa, we recognize that transformative progress requires more than just financial investment—it demands unparalleled collaboration and innovation.

“Our alliance is setting a new standard for how the world can come together to address global energy and climate challenges in developing economies. Together, we can drive a more equitable and sustainable energy future for all.”

A joint governance body was also established to help drive accountability across stakeholders, monitor progress, and ensure that agile operational structures and resources are enabled to deliver accelerated country-led results.

 Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of SEforALL, co-chairs the group, which also includes senior leaders from the African Development Bank, the World Bank, GEAPP, and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Ms. Ogunbiyi, SEforALL CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, stated that ensuring that everyone has access to energy is more than just a matter of convenience; it is a cornerstone of human dignity, equality, and opportunity. 

“This is why at Sustainable Energy for All, we push for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results that leave no one behind. Mission 300 is an unparalleled opportunity to electrify Africa’s future and power a brighter tomorrow, and I call on all stakeholders to join this initiative to guarantee its success.”

Along with the new TA Facility, GEAPP, SEforALL, The Rockefeller Foundation, RFCC, and other partners are working together to develop additional initiatives to advance M300 in areas such as productive energy use, local currency financing, developer support, pooled procurement, and global advocacy. 

In addition, Andrew Herscowitz, the former head of Power Africa, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the M300 Accelerator to help coordinate and accelerate progress on the M300 effort through RFCC. 

The M300 Accelerator, in collaboration with GEAPP and SEforALL, is assisting AfDB and World Bank efforts to secure energy compact signings with African governments and providing assistance through the new TA Facility, while also laying the groundwork for scaling assistance across all Sub-Saharan African countries in the coming years.

Electrifying 300 million people in Africa will create jobs, drive economic development, and reduce poverty overall. The partners aim to unlock a capital stack of at least $90 billion from MDBs, development agencies, finance institutions, private businesses, and philanthropy. 

In response to the immediate funding needs, the organisations are also supporting a global advocacy effort to educate on the impact of securing robust replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional arm for low-income countries, and the AfDB’s African Development Fund (ADF).

Robust replenishments of IDA and ADF, which are supported by sovereign governments, could include $120 billion in commitments for the Final Pledging and Replenishment Meeting (Dec. 5-6 in South Korea), as called for in April by African countries eligible for IDA assistance, and a $25 billion ADF replenishment in 2025. 

By providing grants and low-interest loans to countries seeking to invest in their futures, IDA and ADF are valuable vehicles through which to fund key elements of the M300 effort. 

Another source of funding could be the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which assists low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries in developing resilience to external shocks and ensuring sustainable growth, thereby contributing to their long-term balance of payments stability.

Published for PR Newswire.