At the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and the Rockefeller Foundation introduced a new initiative to support energy access projects across more than a dozen African countries. This effort is part of a plan to bring electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030, in partnership with the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The initiative includes an initial $10 million commitment to the Mission 300 Technical Assistance Facility, established in September 2024 to provide technical support for short- and medium-term energy projects.
The projects outlined at the summit cover 11 African countries and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the largest regional economic group on the continent. These efforts aim to cut through administrative delays and accelerate energy projects while strengthening local capacity. The initiative offers African governments, businesses, and institutions access to new financial tools and bankable projects to encourage collaboration and innovation in the energy sector.
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Africa faces notable energy challenges, with an electrification rate of 50% and around 600 million people still lacking reliable power. The Mission 300 Accelerator is designed to quickly deploy philanthropic resources to support technical assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. Initial projects include work in Tanzania and Zambia to improve regulatory frameworks and enhance electrification programs.
In Tanzania, the initiative will analyze lessons learned and recommend updates to the Renewable Energy Investment Facility’s operating guidelines to expand off-grid electricity access. This has already contributed to an increase in electrification from 7% in 2011 to 38% in 2020. The program will also assist the Tanzania Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Eastern and Southern Africa Program (ASCENT Tanzania), aiming to connect 4 million households.
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In Zambia, the focus is on updating the Electricity and Energy Regulation Acts to align with new energy policies. These updates will promote the use of metering and better tariff systems to improve utility performance. With a current electrification rate of 42%, the changes are expected to improve over 1 million grid connections and support the target of adding 1 million new connections by 2030.
The GEAPP and Rockefeller Foundation initiative represents a practical response to Africa’s energy challenges, helping governments speed up electrification projects. By improving energy access at scale, the projects are expected to drive sustainable development and economic growth across the continent.
