Africa’s energy revolution must be African-led

Foreign aid cuts are forcing difficult conversations across the development community. With fewer resources available, trade-offs have to be made.

Energy access sits at the center of that discussion. Africa is the fastest-growing continent, but 600 million people still have no access to electricity, causing poverty to persist. Reliable electricity is essential for countries to have functioning health systems, competitive industries, and sustained economic growth.

Recognizing that energy investments are key to achieving other development goals, the World Bank Group and African Development Bank launched Mission 300 to expand electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. The model is based on accelerating investments in power generation, power grid expansions, and off-grid solutions like minigrids and solar home systems.