African Development Bank Champions Mission 300, Launches Electricity Regulatory Index at 2025 Africa Energy Forum

The African Development Bank Group is leveraging its presence at the 27th African Energy Forum (AEF 2025) to spotlight its strategic energy access initiatives, particularly Mission 300 – a bold campaign launched with the World Bank to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. 

The Bank is also expected to launch its flagship Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) 2024 Report during the Forum, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa from 17 to 20 June 2025. Bringing together governments, utilities, private sector actors, regulators, and development partners, the event provides a critical platform to advance Africa’s energy transformation agenda. 

The Bank has committed to delivering 50 million of Mission 300’s ambitious target of 300 million new connections, working closely with countries and partners to align investment and policy reforms. The initiative gained traction in January 2025 at the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, when twelve countries—as a first batch—unveiled their National Energy Compacts, outlining concrete policy actions and investment plans to fast-track electrification. This was backed by the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Energy, which calls for coordinated action on financing, reforms, and implementation. 

The Bank’s participation at AEF 2025 comes as it deepens its investment in power generation, transmission and off-grid solutions across Africa. Between 2016 and 2025, it invested $12.74 billion to connect over 28 million people to electricity and financed nearly 40,000 km of distribution lines. In 2024 alone, it enabled the generation of 1,019 MW of electricity, construction of 2,326 km of transmission infrastructure, and provided electricity access to 448,000 people. 

These efforts align with the Bank's "Light Up and Power Africa" priority and the New Deal for Energy in Africa, which together aim to achieve universal electricity access on the continent by 2030, addressing the urgent needs of the 600 million Africans still living without power. The Bank leads major regional initiatives such as Desert to Power, which spans 11 Sahelian countries and aims to generate 10 GW of solar energy to benefit up to 250 million people. It also supports the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), both focused on mobilizing capital for early-stage clean energy projects and smaller-scale private sector developers. 

The Bank has financed several of Africa’s largest renewable energy plants. In Egypt, it supported the Benban Solar Park (1.5 GW), contributing to 20% of the country's renewable energy target. In Morocco, the Bank led financing for the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex, which supplies electricity to over 2 million people and offsets 700,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Both projects are considered continental benchmarks. 

A highlight of the Forum will be the launch of the 2024 Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) on Friday, 20 June, hosted by the Bank. Published bi-annually by the African Development Bank, the ERI benchmarks regulatory frameworks and guiding reforms. The 2024 edition covers 43 African countries and 5 regional regulatory bodies. 

As a lead sponsor of AEF 2025, the African Development Bank Group delegation, led by Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President, Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth, is actively engaging in high-level sessions on topics including sustainable utility transformation, regional power trade, energy transition, clean energy finance, and youth-led innovation in the energy sector.  

The Bank is also supporting the Youth Energy Summit (YES!), engaging over 4,000 participants to empower the next generation of African energy leaders. 

Through Mission 300, the ERI, and major clean energy investments, the African Development Bank Group is reaffirming its leadership in advancing Africa’s energy transition and promoting inclusive, sustainable development. 

Cover photo: By AFDB