AfDB Launches $3.9M Project To Bring Electricity To 13 African Countries

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a new two-year technical assistance project valued at USD 3.9 million to support African countries in translating their National Energy Compacts into tangible results. This initiative is part of Mission 300, a joint effort between the AfDB and the World Bank aimed at providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. National Energy Compacts are strategic plans through which governments outline how they intend to expand electricity access, strengthen their power sectors, and attract investment. Over the past year, numerous African countries have launched these compacts, backed by strong political commitment and support from development partners.

The new project, known as AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, will provide technical assistance to thirteen countries over the next 24 months, helping them move from documented energy plans to actual electricity connections for homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. The countries benefiting from this initiative are Chad, Gabon, Tanzania, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia, and Uganda.

The project will focus on several key areas. It will help governments improve electricity regulations, planning, and tariff structures to attract and facilitate investment. It will strengthen utilities to ensure they can deliver more reliable power while reducing losses. It will also support better data collection, research, and knowledge sharing through tools such as the Electricity Regulatory Index and regional energy forums. In addition, expert advisers will be placed inside national Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units to help governments coordinate reforms and track progress effectively.

Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation at the AfDB, stated, “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.”

This project builds on the achievements of AESTAP Mission 300 Phase I, which was approved in December 2025 with funding of approximately USD 1 million. Phase I focused on establishing and strengthening Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units within governments, providing training, setting up monitoring tools, and helping countries plan their next steps. Phase II will expand these efforts by providing the technical support necessary to implement the planned reforms. The project will be implemented in close coordination with other Mission 300 partners, including the World Bank, governments, and development organizations, to ensure a coordinated and effective approach.