A power grid./PHOTO; Courtesy
Africa’s push to expand electricity access is set to gain fresh momentum after the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a USD 3.9 million technical assistance project aimed at helping countries turn national energy plans into real connections for people and businesses.
The two-year project will support African countries implementing their National Energy Compacts under Mission 300, a joint AfDB -World Bank initiative that targets connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
While many African governments have already committed to ambitious energy reforms on paper, the new funding is designed to help countries move beyond plans and pledges to actual results power flowing to homes, schools, hospitals and enterprises.
From policy to power
Energy Compacts are country-led plans that outline how governments intend to expand electricity access, strengthen power systems and attract private investment.
Over the past year, dozens of African countries have launched these compacts, often backed by high-level political support and commitments from development partners.
However, translating these commitments into functioning power connections has remained a challenge, particularly where utilities are weak, regulations are unclear, or coordination across government is slow.
The newly approved project, known as AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, aims to close this gap by providing hands-on technical support to 13 African countries over the next 24 months.
The beneficiaries are Chad, Gabon, Tanzania, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia and Uganda.
By focusing on implementation, the project is expected to help countries accelerate electrification, improve service reliability and create conditions that attract long-term investment into Africa’s power sector.
What Africa stands to gain
In practical terms, the project will help governments fix the building blocks of their electricity systems.
This includes improving energy regulations, planning processes and tariff structures—key areas that determine whether power projects can move forward and remain financially viable.
The initiative will also work to strengthen national utilities, enabling them to reduce power losses, improve service delivery and provide more reliable electricity to consumers.
For many African countries, underperforming utilities have been a major bottleneck to expanding access, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.
Beyond individual countries, the project will support better data, research and peer learning across the continent.
Tools such as the Electricity Regulatory Index and regional energy forums will be used to share lessons, track reforms and promote best practices among participating countries.
A central feature of the project is the placement of expert advisers within national Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs).
These units sit inside governments and are responsible for coordinating energy reforms across ministries, agencies and partners, while tracking progress toward national targets.
According to the AfDB, embedding technical expertise within governments will help maintain momentum, resolve bottlenecks and ensure reforms translate into measurable gains in electricity access.
Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation at the AfDB, said the project is about turning political ambition into everyday benefits for Africans.
“Countries have made bold commitments through their energy compacts. Now, through AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, we are helping them implement those commitments so that more households, entrepreneurs, and communities actually get electricity,” Shonibare said.
Building on earlier groundwork
The new phase builds on AESTAP Mission 300 Phase I, approved in December 2025, which provided about USD 1 million to help countries establish and operationalise their CDMUs.
Phase I focused on setting up delivery teams, training staff, installing monitoring systems and helping governments map their reform priorities.
Phase II shifts the focus to execution, providing the technical expertise needed to implement reforms, unlock investment and speed up electrification.
The project will be implemented in coordination with other Mission 300 partners, including the World Bank, national governments and development organisations, to ensure efforts are aligned and duplication is avoided.
As Africa works toward universal energy access, initiatives such as AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II signal a growing emphasis on delivery, accountability and results moving the continent closer to a future where reliable electricity supports economic growth, service delivery and improved quality of life.
