African Heads of State Commit to Expanding Energy Access at the Dar es Salaam Energy Summit
- 29/01/2025
- Posted by: admin
- Categories: Funding trends, Investment, Renewable Energy
In a historic move to bridge the continent’s energy gap, thirty African Heads of State and governments today endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a major milestone in the effort to provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity to millions of people across Africa. The declaration was signed at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit and underscores the commitment of African leaders to power the continent’s economic growth, improve quality of life, and drive job creation by addressing the critical issue of energy access.
More than 600 million people in Africa currently live without electricity, a gap that is holding back the continent’s full development potential. The Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, part of the Mission 300 initiative, aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. This ambitious goal is backed by over $50 billion in pledges from development banks, philanthropies, governments, and the private sector.
The declaration will be presented at the African Union Summit in February for adoption, marking a crucial step in meeting Africa’s pressing energy challenges. The commitments outlined in the declaration focus on improving electricity access, scaling up the use of renewable energy, and attracting increased private sector investment to accelerate the electrification of Africa.
At the summit, twelve African countries – including Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia – presented detailed National Energy Compacts. These country-specific plans include targets for increasing electricity access, expanding the use of renewable energy, and boosting utility efficiency. The compacts also focus on expanding clean cooking solutions and improving regional energy integration through satellite and electronic mapping technologies that will help identify the most cost-effective methods for electrifying underserved areas.
Tanzania’s President, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, expressed pride in hosting the summit, stating, “Tanzania is honored to have hosted such a monumental summit to discuss how, as leaders, we will be able to deliver on our promise to our citizens to provide power and clean cooking solutions that will transform lives and economies.
The success of the Mission 300 initiative will require a collective effort from all sectors. Governments are already paving the way through critical reforms and comprehensive financing strategies, complemented by $48 billion in financing from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the World Bank Group through 2030. This commitment was further bolstered by financial pledges from other key stakeholders, including:
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- Agence Française de Développement (AFD): €1 billion
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): $1 to $1.5 billion
- Islamic Development Bank (IsDB): $2.65 billion (2025-2030)
- OPEC Fund: $1 billion
- The World Bank Group and African Development Bank Group: Launch of Zafiri, an investment company to support private sector-led solutions such as renewable mini-grids and solar home systems.
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative, saying, “Access to electricity is a fundamental human right. Without it, countries and people cannot thrive. Our mission to provide electricity to half of the 600 million people in Africa without access is a critical first step. Governments, businesses, philanthropies, and development banks each have a role—and only through collaboration can we achieve our goal.”
The Mission 300 summit demonstrated the immense power of partnerships in tackling Africa’s energy crisis. The combination of government reforms, strategic financing, and private sector innovation provides a comprehensive approach to delivering sustainable energy solutions. By implementing the National Energy Compacts, the participating countries aim to meet the energy needs of their growing populations and accelerate Africa’s transition to clean, renewable energy.
As the initiative progresses, Mission 300 will play a key role in empowering Africa’s youth, supporting job creation, and driving the continent’s long-term economic development. Through continued collaboration and action, the promise of a connected, electrified Africa is within reach.