The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a new $3.9 million, two-year technical assistance project to support African countries in implementing their National Energy Compacts under Mission 300, the AfDB-World Bank initiative aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The project, known as AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, is designed to help countries move from policy commitments to tangible electricity connections for households, schools, hospitals and businesses.
Energy Compacts are national plans through which governments outline how they will expand electricity access, strengthen power sector performance and attract private investment.
Over the past year, dozens of African countries have launched such compacts, backed by high-level political commitments and pledges from development partners.
Under Phase II, direct technical support will be provided to 13 Mission 300 countries over the next 24 months.
These are Chad, Gabon, Tanzania, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia and Uganda.
In practical terms, the project will help governments improve electricity regulations, planning frameworks, and tariff systems to unlock investment; strengthen power utilities to reduce losses and improve reliability; and enhance data, research and knowledge-sharing across countries through tools such as the Electricity Regulatory Index and regional energy forums.
The programme will also embed expert advisers within national Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs) to support coordination of reforms across government and to track implementation progress.
Wale Shonibare, AfDB Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, said countries had 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,” he said.
The approval follows AESTAP Mission 300 Phase I, endorsed in December 2025, which allocated about $1 million to help countries establish and operationalise their CDMUs.
Phase I focused on building delivery capacity by training staff, setting up monitoring systems and supporting implementation planning.
Phase II builds on this foundation by providing deeper technical assistance to drive reforms and deliver results on the ground.
The AfDB said the project will be implemented in close coordination with other Mission 300 partners, including the World Bank, national governments and development organisations, to ensure a coherent and aligned approach.
Mission 300 is seen as one of Africa’s most ambitious efforts to close the continent’s electricity access gap, where more than 600 million people still lack reliable power.
By Winston Mwale, AfricaBrief