Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration Aims to Connect 300 Million Africans to Electricity by 2030

Thirty African Heads of State Commit to Expanding Electricity Access for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

At the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, thirty African Heads of State and government leaders today made a historic commitment to address Africa's pressing energy access challenge. By endorsing the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, they pledged to implement concrete reforms and actions aimed at expanding reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity across the continent. The summit, held in Tanzania’s capital, marked a significant milestone in the Mission 300 initiative, which strives to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030 and reduce the current energy gap that leaves more than 600 million people without power.

The Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration is a pivotal element in this ambitious mission. It underscores the need for collaborative action across governments, development banks, private investors, and philanthropies to provide affordable energy solutions that will power economic growth, enhance living conditions, and stimulate job creation across the continent. During the summit, Mission 300 partners collectively pledged more than $50 billion in support of increasing energy access and building the infrastructure needed to ensure sustainability. The Declaration will be presented for formal adoption at the African Union Summit in February 2025.

Energy Access as the Cornerstone for Africa’s Future Development

This commitment to expanding energy access has profound implications for Africa's growing youth population and its future development. Access to electricity is widely recognized as a cornerstone for job creation, economic empowerment, and the improvement of quality of life across the continent. The initiatives outlined in the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration aim to achieve a greener, more sustainable energy future by promoting renewable energy solutions and driving economic transformation.

Speaking at the summit, H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, said, “We are honored to have hosted this landmark summit, and it’s a momentous step towards delivering on our promise to provide power and clean cooking solutions that will transform lives and economies across Africa.”

National Energy Compacts: A Tailored Approach to Addressing Africa's Energy Challenges

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 National Energy Compacts. These compacts outline specific, time-bound targets to enhance electricity access, scale up renewable energy use, and attract private sector investment. The country-specific plans focus on affordable power generation, improving utility efficiency, expanding electricity connections, and promoting regional energy integration. Additionally, these compacts emphasize the need for clean cooking solutions, crucial for improving the health and livelihoods of millions.

The National Energy Compacts leverage cutting-edge technologies like satellite mapping and electronic mapping tools to identify the most cost-effective solutions for reaching underserved populations, ensuring that energy access is expanded efficiently and sustainably.

A Strong Call for Political Will and Strategic Partnerships

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, emphasized the critical role of collaboration in achieving the mission’s objectives: “Access to electricity is a fundamental human right. Without it, countries and people cannot thrive. To succeed, we must work together—governments, businesses, philanthropies, and development banks all have a role to play.”

Similarly, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), highlighted the importance of reforms in accelerating electrification across the continent. He noted that these reforms must include expanding renewable energy shares, improving utility performance, and establishing transparent power purchase agreements that are fair to both producers and consumers.

Commitments from Key Partners

The summit also saw financial pledges from key development institutions and organizations:

• The African Development Bank and the World Bank committed to a combined $48 billion in financing through 2030 to support the Mission 300 initiative.
• The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) pledged €1 billion to enhance energy access in Africa.
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced $1 billion to $1.5 billion to support the initiative.
• The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) committed $2.65 billion from 2025-2030 to fund energy access efforts.
• The OPEC Fund allocated $1 billion to Mission 300 and energy access projects across the continent.

A significant new initiative, Zafiri, was launched by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group. This investment company is designed to support private sector-led solutions, including solar home systems and renewable mini-grids, by helping bridge the persistent equity gap in financing. Zafiri’s initial phase will see $300 million in investments, with the potential to mobilize up to $1 billion for energy access projects across Africa.

A Collaborative Model for Transformative Change

The pledges made by governments and partners at the summit exemplify the power of partnership in driving transformational change. By combining government reforms, increased financing, and public-private partnerships, African countries are now in a strong position to turn ambitious energy access plans into actionable results that will directly benefit millions of people.

The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank Group, and the World Bank Group. Additional support came from organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.

This summit represents a key step in the broader effort to ensure universal energy access in Africa, which remains critical to achieving inclusive growth, sustainable development, and the empowerment of future generations.