02/12/2025 à 18:17 , Miss A Jour 02/12/2025
“The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank (WB) announced in Rabat Mission 300 (M300), a joint initiative that aims to provide 300 million electricity connections in Africa by 2030.”
At the heart of the country-led National Energy Compact, M300 (an initiative that took place on the sidelines of the 2025 African Investment Forum (AIF)) aims to transform energy access through collaborative partnerships, policy reform and private sector investment.
Speaking on the occasion, Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank (AfDB), stressed that Mission 300, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Global Energy Alliance for People and the Planet (GEAPP), and the Sustainable Energy for All Forum, relies on promising partnerships with governments, the private sector and civil society.
He emphasized the relevance of holding this dedicated day in parallel with AIF, recalling that the private sector is a key pillar of Mission 300. This is a firm belief for him, as private sector engagement is at the heart of the initiative’s five strategic pillars.
Mr Kariuki also revealed that preliminary analysis of the 29-country Energy Compact shows that 50% of the funding needed for its implementation will come from the private sector. He encouraged countries presenting energy compacts at the forum (Comoros, Ethiopia, Gambia, Lesotho and Guinea) to do so with ambition in order to attract the necessary funds for critical investments.
Eric Fernström, World Bank Regional Practice Manager, welcomed the coming together of leaders, expertise and capital to develop investment opportunities and strategic partnerships aimed at achieving the goals of Mission 300.
He commended the strong efforts of the AfDB and the World Bank, along with the 29 countries involved in implementing the National Energy Compact.
Highlighting the encouraging results, Fernström said the two agencies will continue their work on connectivity, implementing around 90 projects to expand energy access and around 60 additional projects covering broader energy sectors, including power grids, renewable energy generation, and utility reform and restructuring.
In this regard, he cited Morocco’s remarkable progress since the early 2000s, achieving 100% universal energy access, as an example that many partner countries hope to emulate.
Building on insights gained from previous stages in Tanzania, London and New York, as well as the upcoming African Climate and Mobility Forum (ACMF) in Johannesburg, the M300 partners are delivering a series of dedicated initiatives at the AIF, combining deep deal scrutiny, peer learning and targeted matching opportunities for governments and private investors.
Held from 26 to 28 November under the theme ‘Closing the Gap: Mobilizing Private Capital to Unlock Africa’s Full Potential’, AIF will serve as an investment platform designed to foster international investment in Africa, bringing together project sponsors, funders, governments and other key stakeholders to close deals.
