AfDB Unveils Mission 300, Launches Energy Index at AEF 2025
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is making major strides toward Africa’s energy transformation as it showcases its flagship initiatives at the 27th Africa Energy Forum (AEF 2025), including the landmark Mission 300 campaign and the launch of the 2024 Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI).
AfDB, a lead sponsor of the Forum, is using this platform to drive its strategic goal of universal electricity access by 2030, with Mission 300 at the forefront—an ambitious initiative jointly launched with the World Bank to connect 300 million Africans to electricity. Of this target, the Bank has committed to delivering 50 million new connections.
Mission 300 has already gained momentum. During the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam in January 2025, twelve African countries unveiled National Energy Compacts, outlining clear policy reforms and investment roadmaps to accelerate electrification. These efforts are backed by the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Energy, which calls for unified action on financing and implementation.
As part of the Bank’s broader energy agenda, the 2024 edition of the Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) will be officially launched on Friday, 20 June. The ERI, which benchmarks regulatory environments across 43 African countries and five regional bodies, offers a critical tool for aligning governance with energy access goals.
Since 2016, AfDB has invested $12.74 billion in energy infrastructure, enabling access for more than 28 million people, financing nearly 40,000 km of distribution lines, and facilitating the generation of 1,019 MW of electricity in 2024 alone. The Bank also constructed 2,326 km of transmission infrastructure and provided energy access to 448,000 people last year.
AfDB’s clean energy investments have led to flagship projects such as Egypt’s Benban Solar Park (1.5 GW) and Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex, both of which serve as continental benchmarks for renewable energy development.
Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth, is leading AfDB’s delegation at AEF 2025. The Bank is actively participating in high-level discussions on regional power trade, clean energy financing, utility reform, and youth innovation. As a further sign of its commitment, AfDB is supporting the Youth Energy Summit (YES!), engaging more than 4,000 young leaders in shaping Africa’s energy future.
Through its bold targets, regional initiatives, and financing tools like the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), the African Development Bank continues to lead Africa’s transition to a clean, inclusive, and resilient energy future.
