What is mission 300?

Think of it as the largest electricity access drive in history. The World Bank and the African Development Bank, working with governments across Africa, private sector leaders, and development partners, launched Mission 300 to accelerate universal energy access and halve Africa's electricity access deficit by connecting 300 million people by 2030.

Why it exists

Nearly 600 million people in Africa, which is 85% of the world's unelectrified population, still lack electricity, and population growth continues to outpace new connections. At current rates of expansion, 645 million Africans could still be without electricity by 2030, far off the universal access target. Mission 300 is the attempt to bend that curve.

How it works

The plan is not one big power grid. About half of households are expected to connect through expanded power grids, while the rest will gain access through off-grid solutions like mini-grids and solar home systems. A mini-grid is a small, local power network, often solar-powered, that serves a village or district without needing to connect to a national transmission line. It can be built faster and cheaper in rural areas.

The initiative aims to mobilize over $238 billion in public and private investment. In January 2025, 48 countries endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, establishing continent-wide political commitment. Each participating country then signs a National Energy Compact, a specific, measurable set of reforms and targets tailored to that country's situation.

Those compacts cover five areas: expanding cost-efficient power generation, boosting regional power integration for cross-border trade, scaling up last-mile electrification with distributed renewable energy, unlocking private investment through supportive regulatory frameworks, and strengthening utilities with transparent financial management and cost recovery.

Where it stands now

So far, 32 million people have been connected, with projects in motion to reach another 157 million. That means students can study after dark, clinics can run equipment, and businesses can grow. The momentum is real, though reaching 300 million by 2030 still requires the pace to accelerate significantly over the next four years.