The African Development Bank (AfDB) Board of Directors has approved a $3.9 million, two-year technical assistance project to help African countries expand access to electricity.
The new project, named AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, will provide direct technical support to the 13 Mission 300 countries over the next 24 months.
It aims to give these countries the support they need to implement the National Energy Compact under Mission 300, an AfDB and World Bank initiative aimed at connecting some 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The Energy Compact is a national plan that sets out how governments can expand access to electricity, strengthen the power sector and attract investment.
Over the past year, dozens of African countries have launched these agreements, backed by strong political commitment and pledges from development partners.
In a press release on Saturday, the AfDB said that from a practical perspective, AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II will help governments improve electricity regulation, planning and tariffs to enhance investment.
Utilities will also be strengthened to provide more reliable power, reduce losses, support better data and enable cross-national research and learning through tools such as electricity regulation indices and regional energy forums, the paper said.
Additionally, the project will help place expert advisors within the country’s Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit to help the government coordinate reforms and track progress.
It is hoped that this will enable beneficiary countries such as Chad, Gabon, Tanzania, Mauritania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia and Uganda to move from documented energy plans to actual electricity connections for homes, schools, hospitals and businesses.
“Countries are taking bold steps through the Energy Compact.
“Now, through AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, we are helping deliver on these commitments to bring practical electricity to more households, entrepreneurs and communities,” the statement quoted Wale Shonibare, AfDB’s director of energy financial solutions, policy and regulation, as saying.
This new project follows the approval of AESTAP Mission 300 Phase I in December 2025, which provided approximately $1 million to support the establishment and operation of compact delivery and monitoring units in each country.
These departments are located within the government and are responsible for coordinating interagency energy reform and tracking progress.
Phase I focused on creating and strengthening these implementation teams: training staff, setting up monitoring tools, and helping countries plan their next steps.
“Phase II will build on this by providing the necessary technical support to implement the planned reforms,” the release states.
“This project will be implemented in collaboration with other Mission 300 partners, including the World Bank, governments and development agencies, ensuring a coordinated effort.”
Source: GNA
