Mission 300: A step change for Africa?

Announced in early 2024, Mission 300 is an ambitious initiative led by the World Bank Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to connect 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030. Aiming to mobilise $90 billion in public and private capital, the plan involves scaling up clean energy generation, expanding grid connections, deploying decentralised mini-grids, and improving transmission and distribution through regional interconnection and market reform.

If delivered equitably and effectively, Mission 300 could represent a step-change for energy access in sub-Saharan Africa. However, if it adheres to the prevailing model of climate and development finance - marked by over-reliance on private capital, a preference for privatised energy systems dominated by fossil fuels, and limited engagement with local communities - it risks failing the very people it intends to serve and exacerbating Africa’s soaring debt crisis.

Download the brief below.