Dar es Salaam: How plausible is the target by African heads of states to grant access to electricity to 300 million people by 2030? That is the task before the over 1,000 participants expected at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, which kicks off in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Jan. 27.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Schroth, African Development Bank’s Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, highlighted the urgency of the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit at a media briefing in Dar es Salaam. He stated that achieving actual connections for 300 million people by 2030 is a challenging goal due to the limited timeframe of five years.
Mr. Franz Drees-Gross, World Bank Director of Infrastructure for West Africa, described Mission 300 as not just an ambitious target but a movement towards creating lasting impacts that will power Africa’s growth. He emphasized the essential services that electricity can provide to millions of people. The World Bank Group and the African Development B
ank launched the initiative in April 2024 to address the energy access gap in Africa.
Mr. Wale Shonibare, ADB’s Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, mentioned that the summit would introduce new initiatives to boost domestic resource mobilization. These initiatives aim to encourage cross-border trade, spread risk, and increase financing for energy access. The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and The Rockefeller Foundation have already pledged $10 million to support electricity projects across 11 African nations.
Sarvesh Suri, IFC’s Director for Infrastructure in Africa, noted the unique collaborative approach of the initiative, with numerous institutions working together to meet the ambitious goals. About 12 countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire, are set to commit to reforms in areas like low-cost power generation, regional energy integration, increased energy access, enabling private investment, and utility strengthening.
T
he summit is hosted by Tanzania’s government, the African Union, the African Development Bank Group, and the World Bank Group. On the first day, at the ministerial level, participating countries, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies to achieve universal energy access within five years. On the second day, Heads of State will endorse the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, outlining a unified roadmap for Africa’s progress towards the Mission 300 objectives.
President Tinubu will deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal access to energy and its leadership role in Africa’s energy sector. He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and its strategy to advance integrated energy delivery on the continent. Accompanying him on the trip will be Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Olu Verheijen, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, and other senior government of
ficials.