The Rockefeller Foundation, in partnership with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, has announced a combined funding of over $100 million dedicated to advancing 'Mission 300'. This initiative, spearheaded by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, aims to extend electricity access to 300 million individuals across Africa by the year 2030.
Since September 2024, when the foundation and alliance initially pledged $10 million for Mission 300, their contributions have facilitated strengthened government capacity through technical assistance, attracted private sector investment, accelerated project development, and promoted electrification progress in approximately two dozen African nations.
Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, highlighted the project's focus on tangible results, stating, "Mission 300 is fundamentally about delivery, and turning ambition into results at scale."
He added that financial backing from entities like The Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance is crucial for bolstering governmental delivery capabilities, mitigating investment risks, and expediting projects that can attract substantial public and private funding.
During a discussion with the US Department of Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, The Rockefeller Foundation’s President, Dr. Rajiv Shah, revealed that the joint commitment had grown significantly to $100 million. The conversation also touched upon the importance of supporting clean cooking solutions in sub- Saharan Africa, a key objective of Mission 300.
"The Rockefeller Foundation has made its biggest-ever bet on connecting people to electricity as the single best pathway out of large-scale poverty," Dr. Shah commented. "Our investment in Mission 300 reflects our commitment to the best way of advancing human wellbeing in the 21st century."
He further elaborated, "(This is) putting countries in the lead, harnessing frontier technology, and focusing relentlessly on achievable, measurable goals. We look forward to working with partners to continue the extraordinary momentum behind Mission 300 and connect even more people in Africa, including its growing youth populations, to jobs, dignity, and prosperity."
Currently, the statement indicated that 730 million people globally lack basic electricity access, with an overwhelming 85 percent of this population residing in sub-Saharan Africa.
This deficit, the article explains, adversely affects healthcare, education, digital inclusion, the empowerment of women and children, local job creation, and economic opportunity. The Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative identifies a lack of electricity access as the most significant indicator of extreme poverty.
Woochong Um, Chief Executive of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, emphasized the necessity of reliable and affordable electricity, noting, "Reliable, affordable, abundant electricity is essential for jobs, prosperity, and resilience."
He expressed pride in the Alliance's support for Mission 300, which unites governments, development banks, philanthropic organizations, non-profits, and private sector partners to stimulate investment and accelerate project execution.
"From Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units that help governments implement national energy plans, to distributed renewable energy and productive-use programs, our focus is on ensuring that new electricity connections translate into durable economic opportunities for people and communities across Africa," Um stated.
Mission 300, a collaborative effort involving the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance, and Sustainable Energy for All, aims to translate commitments into action through national energy compacts, broad economic reforms, investment programs, technical assistance, and private sector engagement.
Twenty-three countries have so far benefited from this initiative, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
The $100 million commitment is allocated with approximately 47 percent from The Rockefeller Foundation and its public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, through the Mission 300 Accelerator, and 53 percent from the Alliance. This funding will provide technical assistance to over a dozen national energy Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs).
This support is designed to enhance countries' coordination, monitoring, reporting, and implementation capabilities. Additionally, it will fund 18 "Mission 300 Fellowships" to aid CDMU efforts in expediting electrification initiatives.
Beyond strengthening support for clean cooking solutions in sub-Saharan Africa, where 70 percent of households depend on charcoal and wood for cooking, the collaboration has also expanded the Global Energy Alliance and CLASP's Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF).
This program offers grants, subsidies, and technical assistance to suppliers and distributors. The goal is to reduce prices, reach more customers, and hasten the adoption of clean, energy-efficient appliances that can power small businesses, assist farmers, and positively impact thousands of lives across the continent.
The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, active in over 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, aims to provide clean electricity to 1 billion people, avert 4 billion tons of carbon emissions, and create or improve 150 million jobs.
Meanwhile, The Rockefeller Foundation has a 113-year history of investing $30 billion to advance human wellbeing, known for its pioneering philanthropic approach that combines unlikely partnerships with innovative solutions to achieve measurable outcomes.
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