The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a new $3.9 million technical assistance program aimed at helping African countries translate national energy commitments into actual electricity connections for households and businesses.
According to the AfDB, the two-year initiative, known as AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, will provide targeted technical support to 13 African countries under the Mission 300 initiative, a joint AfDB–World Bank programme seeking to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The beneficiary countries are Chad, Gabon, Tanzania, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia and Uganda.
Mission 300 is anchored on National Energy Compacts, which outline how governments plan to expand electricity access, strengthen power utilities and attract private investment. Over the past year, several African countries have launched such compacts, backed by political commitments and support from development partners.
The AfDB said Phase II of the AESTAP program is designed to move countries from planning to execution, focusing on improving electricity regulations, tariffs and sector planning to unlock investments. The project will also strengthen power utilities to reduce losses and improve reliability, while supporting better data use and peer learning through regional energy platforms.
As part of the initiative, expert advisers will be embedded within national Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs) to help governments coordinate reforms across ministries and track progress.
“Countries have 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,” Wale Shonibare, AfDB’s Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, said.
The newly approved program builds on AESTAP Mission 300 Phase I, which was approved in December 2025 and provided about $1 million to support the establishment and operation of CDMUs within participating governments.
According to the AfDB, Phase I focused on setting up delivery teams, training staff and establishing monitoring tools, while Phase II will concentrate on implementing energy sector reforms on the ground. The Bank noted that the project will be carried out in coordination with the World Bank, national governments and other development partners to ensure alignment and avoid duplication.
The African Development Bank Group said the initiative underscores its broader effort to accelerate electricity access across the continent as a foundation for economic growth, job creation and improved social services.
