As the United States prepares for a new administration, a critical global development challenge remains: Solving Africa’s energy poverty. This isn’t just about switching on lights. It’s about unlocking opportunities for business, education, health care, and security.
With 600 million people in Africa — nearly half the continent — still lacking access to electricity, innovative initiatives such as Mission 300 and ambitious projects such as the Grand Inga Dam offer pathways over the coming years to connect millions to power, drive economic opportunity, and accelerate a clean energy transition on the continent.
Still, there are genuine questions about how to connect those 600 million people, including the technologies that should be deployed. Gas will likely play a role in the coming years to increase energy security and may even help accelerate the decommissioning of higher-emitting coal power plants.
About the author
Andrew Herscowitz
Andrew Herscowitz is the CEO of Rockefeller Catalytic Capital’s Mission 300 Accelerator. His previous roles include executive director of ODI North America, chief development officer at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and coordinator for Power Africa.
