In a landmark move to tackle Africa’s energy crisis, thirty African heads of state and government today committed to sweeping reforms and concrete actions to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity across the continent.
The commitments, outlined in the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, were unveiled at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, a high-stakes gathering focused on closing the energy gap that leaves over 600 million Africans without electricity.
The Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration represents a pivotal step in the Mission 300 initiative, a collaborative effort involving governments, development banks, private sector players, and philanthropies to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. At the summit, partners pledged over $50 billion to support this ambitious goal, signalling a unified push to transform Africa’s energy landscape. The Declaration will be presented to the African Union Summit in February for formal adoption.
“Tanzania is honoured to have hosted such a monumental summit to discuss how, as leaders, we will be able to deliver on our promise to our citizens to provide power and clean cooking solutions that will transform lives and economies,” said Tanzanian President H.E. Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, who hosted the event. Her remarks underscored the critical role of energy access in driving economic growth, improving quality of life, and creating jobs for Africa’s rapidly growing youth population.
Twelve countries—Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia—took centre stage at the summit by presenting detailed National Energy Compacts. These country-specific plans set clear, time-bound targets to increase electricity access, adopt renewable energy, and attract private investment. The compacts emphasize affordable power generation, expanding grid connections, and regional integration while leveraging satellite and electronic mapping technologies to identify cost-effective solutions for electrifying underserved areas.
“Access to electricity is a fundamental human right. Without it, countries and people cannot thrive,” said Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group. “Our mission to provide electricity to half of the 600 million people in Africa without access is a critical first step. To succeed, we must embrace a simple truth: no one can do it alone. Governments, businesses, philanthropies, and development banks each have a role—and only through collaboration can we achieve our goal.”
Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for decisive action and critical reforms to accelerate electrification. “Expanding the share of renewables, improving utility performance, ensuring transparency in licensing and power purchase agreements, and establishing predictable tariff regimes are essential,” he said.
“Our collective effort is to support you, heads of state and government, in developing and implementing clear, country-led national energy compacts to deliver on your visions for electricity in your respective countries.”
The summit also saw a flurry of financial commitments from key partners. The African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group announced plans to allocate 48 billion in financing for Mission 300 through 20302030.
Other significant pledges included €1 billion from the Agence Franc\caisede Deˊveloppement(AFD),1 billion to 1.5 billion from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB),2.65 billion from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and $1 billion from the OPEC Fund. These funds will support various initiatives, from renewable energy projects to clean cooking solutions.
In a significant development, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group launched Zafiri, an investment company designed to support private sector-led solutions such as renewable mini-grids and solar home systems. Zafiri’s anchor partners committed to investing up to 300 million in its first phase, with plans to mobilize up to 1 billion to address the persistent equity gap in Africa’s energy sector.
The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was organized by the United Republic of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank Group, and the World Bank Group, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.
The firm commitments made at the summit highlight the unique power of the Mission 300 partnership. By combining government reforms, increased financing, and public-private collaboration, African countries are poised to turn ambitious plans into tangible action. The summit represents a beacon of hope for millions of Africans living without electricity—and a critical step toward a brighter, more sustainable future.
