One of the resounding messages of the recent Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was that closing the energy-access gap—for electricity and clean cooking—is possible. This gap remains enormous in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rural and isolated areas. Nearly 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa live without access to electricity, representing nearly 83% of the world’s unelectrified population.
The World Bank Group is partnering with the African Development Bank and other partners on Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to connect 300 million people to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 and accelerate development and poverty reduction. At the same time, it is an unprecedented opportunity to make people, businesses, and communities more resilient to economic and other shocks and crises that will likely intensify in the coming decades.
The World Bank Group is partnering with the African Development Bank and other partners on Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to connect 300 million people to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 and accelerate development and poverty reduction.
New electricity connections will significantly improve people’s well-being, access to healthcare and education, and other basic needs, such as drinkable water and sanitation. Electricity saves time and improves health outcomes for women and girls by powering clean cooking technology that reduces exposure to extreme heat and local air pollution. It also generates new jobs, boosts productivity, and unlocks new opportunities through connectivity.
And access to electricity will boost the resilience of people who are among the most vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events. In Africa, where more than two-thirds of the post-harvest food supply is lost, electric pumps, new food processing, and conservation equipment will help communities increase and preserve food supply and diversify incomes, making them less vulnerable to severe floods or droughts. As temperatures rise and heat waves become more frequent, power fans and cooling devices can help prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths and improve labor productivity.
Combined with digital technologies, greater energy access reduces harm to communities and saves lives. During droughts, flooding, or hurricanes, early warnings are critical. Reliable communication helps people know what to expect and what to do (for example, evacuate or shelter in place before a hurricane; plant more drought-resistant crops when low rainfall is expected). When disasters hit, governments and emergency services must coordinate action and collect data and information to target their support to communities. The ability for people and firms to respond and recover quickly—whether to charge a phone, use solar-powered radios and lighting, access money, or receive government support—is dependent on energy access. Mission 300 will contribute to modernizing the energy sector, which offers a key opportunity to use data and connectivity to better anticipate and respond to weather-related shocks as part of digitalization efforts.
Mission 300 will close the energy gap by making energy infrastructure more resilient.
Mission 300 will close the energy gap by making energy infrastructure more resilient. Estimates show that damages caused by extreme weather events across Sub-Saharan Africa cost the power sector up to $1.5 billion annually, burdening already budget-constrained governments and utilities. Efforts to boost energy access will be worthless if essential energy infrastructure doesn’t keep up, and the power goes out. Unreliable electricity delivery and frequent interruptions heavily impact people, firms, and entire economies. Power outages force firms and critical infrastructure to rely on expensive and polluting backup generators, decreasing productivity, entrepreneurship, and employment and reducing competitiveness and job opportunities. A study conducted in 23 African countries shows that even one percent increase in electricity outages would result in substantial productivity losses, averaging 3.5 percent, for businesses across the region.
Mission 300 will integrate extreme weather risks as part of power-system planning and grid and off-grid solutions. In Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Kenya, recurring and intensifying droughts have already put tremendous pressure on power systems and hydropower supply, dramatically affecting agricultural productivity and food security. In West Africa, many countries face the double threat of frequent heatwaves, which can strain electricity infrastructure and create fire-prone conditions, and flooding, which can submerge transformers and substations and sweep away distribution lines.
By adding off-grid renewable solutions, Mission 300 will enhance the resilience of power systems and reach communities that previous technologies could not. For example, distributed renewable energy (DRE), such as mini-grids or standalone solar, will increase connections in underserved areas and boost their resilience. Eight out of 10 people without electricity today live in fragile, remote, or conflict-affected regions, and DRE technologies are the cheapest and easiest way to connect them. At the same time, DRE solutions are portable, can be quickly deployed or restored after an extreme weather event, and can serve as backup power during outages.
In Nigeria, the DARES project will help over 17 million Nigerians gain access to clean and efficient electricity using distributed renewable energy solutions, replacing over 250,000 polluting and expensive diesel generators. It will not only address immediate energy needs but also strengthen the long-term resilience of Nigerian communities by reducing vulnerability to power cuts. Among the many beneficiaries, Dr. Garba Buwa recalls the difficulties his hospital faced due to unreliable electricity. His facility now enjoys clean and reliable electricity, ensuring the survival of mothers and newborns, and providing sufficient lighting for surgeries.
Energy access changes people’s lives. It improves health and quality of life and helps create jobs and livelihoods that lift people out of poverty.
Energy access changes people’s lives. It improves health and quality of life and helps create jobs and livelihoods that lift people out of poverty. It also saves lives and allows people to better withstand and recover from shocks, building more-resilient communities and vibrant economies. For a woman named Meskerem, living in the remote village of Tum the connection to a solar mini-grid provided through the Ethiopia Electrification Program has enabled her to run a small grocery store, have the capacity to refrigerate and package her products, and cook with an electric stove and oven. The income from her business has had a ripple effect, allowing her to buy a computer for her children that’s helping to improve their education.
Mobilizing public and private finance to respond to much-needed adaptation needs in a sustainable and cost-efficient way will be key to accelerating smart development. By scaling investment, Mission 300 is a critical foundation for bridging the energy access and adaptation gaps, paving the way for better jobs, and more prosperous and resilient communities across Africa.
Source: blogs.worldbank
