From turning on a light to charging a phone, electricity powers nearly every aspect of modern life. Today, 92% of the world’s population has access to this essential resource — one that enables hospitals to operate, schools to teach, and businesses to grow. But for hundreds of millions of people in Africa, this basic necessity remains out of reach.

Electricity access has improved globally, but progress is unequal. As African leaders and partners call for urgent action, initiatives like Mission 300 are stepping up to change that.

Yet across Africa, over 600 million people still do not have access to reliable electricity. This impacts everyday life from limiting educational opportunities to making it difficult for nurses to store vaccines, operate incubators, or guarantee safe deliveries during power outages.  

In response, the World Bank Group (WBG), African Development Bank (AfDB) and partners like The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) have joined together to launch Mission 300, an African-led initiative that aims to connect  300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to reliable electricity by 2030. The initiative brings together African governments, the private sector, and development partners to provide cost-effective power generation, expand electricity access, improve utility efficiency, attract private investments, encourage policy reform, and strengthen regional energy integration that will foster economic transformation, lift millions out of energy poverty and create job opportunities throughout the continent.

To achieve this goal of expanding electricity access, Mission 300 will focus on the following:

• On-grid connections for densely populated areas
• Off-grid and mini-grid solutions for rural and remote communities
• Support for energy infrastructure that can power public services, small businesses, and households. 

Wilson Tembo, a shop and welding business owner in Mwanjawanthu, Petauke district in Eastern Zambia sells a customer a refrigerated drink. Thanks to reliable electricity from the Kanyanga mini-grid, Tembo's business has grown, supporting his family and the local community. Image: Luke Katemba

Track the Progress: Explore the Mission 300 Dashboard

The World Bank Energy Data Platform has launched a public Progress Portal Dashboard to track the World Bank’s measurable progress across country-level data. You can see where new projects are implemented, how many people are gaining access, investment flows and key milestones. The dashboard tracks progress using  three categories — People Connected, People to be Connected from Approved Operations, and People to be Connected from Planned Operations. 

• People Connected: From July 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2025, a total of 32 million people have been connected to electricity by World Bank Group-finance operations. This progress covers 84 projects in 39 countries.
• People to be Connected from Approved Operations: In total 92 million people will  be connected to electricity through approved operations.
• People to be Connected from Planned Operations: in total 65 million people will be connected to electricity through planned operations. 

Where Is Progress Happening? 

The Kanyanga mini-grid is a 100-kilowatt-peak solar facility located in Kandongwa, Petauke District, Eastern Zambia. Operated by ENGIE Energy Access, it provides electricity to 300–400 homes and businesses. Through the Mission 300 initiative, even more communities in Petauke are expected to gain access to reliable energy. Image: Luke Katemba

As part of the Mission 300 initiative, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank are making significant strides in connecting 250 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030, through their energy projects across the continent. 

In Eastern and Southern Africa, through the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) Program, 100 million Africans in 20 countries will gain energy access over the next five years. 

The Ethiopia Electrification Program has already connected over 1.6 million households, benefiting more than 8 million people and enhancing public services like schools and hospitals. 

In Western and Central Africa, the Nigeria DARES  initiative for instance is providing solar solutions for over 17.5 million Nigerians, replacing costly diesel generators. The Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE) will increase electricity access in Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, while programs like the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) are ensuring cheaper, reliable electricity for 14 countries.

Together, these initiatives mark a transformative step towards achieving universal energy access across the continent.

How You Can Get Involved?

Learn more about how you can take action to support the Mission 300 initiative. Together, we can power the future for millions across Africa.

The Mission 300 initiative is making significant progress toward bridging the electricity gap across Africa, with 32 million people already connected to reliable electricity. Yet for this initiative to meet its ambitious goal of connecting 300 million people across the continent with electricity by 2030, there is a need for an increase in investments particularly from the private sector to meet funding gaps. Together, we can power Africa’s future.

As President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Sidi Tah, said in a panel with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre at Global Citizen: NOW Johannesburg on Nov 21, “This is Africa’s time. Africa’s development is critical for the world.”