World Bank’s Mission 300 Lights Up Lives, Connects 32 Million to Electricity

Africa’s most ambitious electrification effort, Mission 300, has reached a critical milestone, with the World Bank Group (WBG) announcing today, Sunday, November 2, 2025, that its operations have successfully provided electricity access to 32 million people across the continent. This achievement marks a significant step towards the initiative’s goal of connecting 300 million Africans to power by the year 2030.

Mission 300 is a collaborative venture between the WBG and the African Development Bank (AfDB), bringing together African governments, private investors, and development partners. The initiative’s total target is split between the WBG’s commitment of 250 million connections and the AfDB’s 50 million.

The new figures, tracked via the World Bank’s recently launched Mission 300 Progress Portal, demonstrate a clear acceleration in delivery. Official data confirms that the connection rate is now 1.5 times faster than in the years preceding the launch of Mission 300. This progress is attributed to a strategic shift toward a mix of large-scale grid expansion projects and decentralized renewable energy solutions, such as mini-grids and standalone solar systems, designed to reach remote and underserved communities.

“Every connection is a new opportunity,” stated a WBG representative. “It means children can study after dark, clinics can refrigerate vaccines, and small businesses can operate longer, fueling job creation and economic growth.”

With $8.5 billion in active commitments from the World Bank and substantial co-financing from partners, the financial pipeline is strong. Furthermore, the WBG reports that projects already approved or in the planning stages are expected to bring electricity to an additional 157 million people, signaling robust momentum toward the 2030 deadline. The focus now shifts to maintaining this accelerated pace and ensuring that the remaining 61 million connections needed for the WBG’s target are identified and funded.