The Rockefeller Foundation has announced an additional US$10 million to support Mission 300, a joint initiative by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank aimed at connecting 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030. The announcement was made during Mission 300 Day at the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa. Through this new funding, the Foundation is working with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet to accelerate electrification efforts in at least 15 African countries by providing technical assistance to National Energy Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs). Initial support is already underway in Malawi and Liberia, while additional assistance is being provided in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal through the Mission 300 Accelerator with previously announced funding from RF Catalytic Capital.
The initiative focuses on strengthening coordination, monitoring, reporting, and implementation capacity within CDMUs, which are responsible for ensuring that National Energy Compacts are effectively executed. These compacts, introduced by African governments to transform their energy sectors, outline reforms and investments designed to expand electricity access and create conditions for long-term economic growth. By improving institutional capacity and coordination among partners, the program aims to accelerate large-scale electrification efforts across the region.
Currently, more than 730 million people worldwide lack access to electricity, with about 600 million of them living in Africa. Limited electricity access continues to hinder progress in healthcare, education, digital inclusion, and economic development, and remains one of the strongest indicators of extreme poverty. Mission 300 addresses this challenge by combining grid expansion with decentralized renewable energy solutions to reach rural and underserved communities. Since its launch, the initiative has already connected approximately 44 million people to electricity.
The Rockefeller Foundation highlighted that strengthening delivery mechanisms through CDMUs is critical to translating national commitments into real outcomes. The Mission 300 Accelerator is providing technical support and expertise to help governments implement their electrification strategies more effectively. This support includes helping governments coordinate stakeholders, manage data and reporting systems, and ensure that energy reforms lead to tangible improvements in electricity access and economic opportunities.
In addition to financial support, the initiative is expanding its technical assistance efforts through fellowships that place experts within CDMUs across Africa. The first group of Mission 300 Fellows is already supporting energy delivery units in several countries, including Burundi, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, the Republic of Congo, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. These fellows help strengthen local capacity and accelerate the implementation of electrification strategies.
Mission 300 represents one of the largest development efforts aimed at ending energy poverty in Africa. By bringing together governments, development banks, philanthropic organizations, and technical partners, the initiative seeks to deliver affordable and reliable electricity while creating opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards across the continent.
