At the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 12 African nations unveiled their National Energy Compacts, presenting targeted strategies to address energy access deficits and promote clean energy solutions.
The countries — Chad, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Tanzania — outlined ambitious plans aimed at achieving universal energy access while reducing dependence on traditional biomass for cooking.
Hosted by Tanzania, the two-day summit (January 27-28, 2025) was organised under the banner of “Mission 300,” an initiative led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank. The mission aims to provide electricity to 300 million people across sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
The summit underscored the urgent need for action, as over 600 million people — more than half of Africa’s population — still lack reliable access to electricity, according to the United Nations. The 12 nations presenting their strategies are central to Mission 300, representing key “target countries” for the initiative.
According to the most recent estimates released by the International Energy Agency, Nigeria and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are home to 80 per cent of the world's population without access to electricity.
The National Energy Compacts go beyond electricity access, placing significant emphasis on clean cooking solutions. Currently, 800 million Africans rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, contributing to severe health risks, environmental degradation and deforestation. Household air pollution from cooking smoke is linked to over 700,000 premature deaths annually across the continent.
Nigeria, home to the largest population without electricity access, has pledged a 25 per cent annual increase in clean cooking solutions to achieve universal access by 2030. This effort, highlighted in Nigeria’s Energy Compact, aims to benefit 227 million people, particularly women and marginalised communities. The country currently has over 160 million people without access to clean cooking fuels and technologies — the third-largest deficit globally, after India and China.
Tanzania, the summit’s host, also announced ambitious goals, including expanding electricity connectivity to 75 per cent by 2030 and ensuring 80 per cent of its population has access to clean cooking solutions by 2034.
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, commended Tanzania for its comprehensive energy strategy, describing the mission as “not just about energy transition but about dignity.” He stressed that access to clean cooking solutions is fundamental to achieving sustainable development.
“This is about dignity. Africa must develop with dignity and pride and access to clean cooking solutions is fundamental to achieving this goal,” Adesina said during the summit’s opening panel discussion. He also highlighted the environmental toll of energy access deficits, citing deforestation and biodiversity loss as critical concerns.
The National Energy Compacts serve as roadmaps for achieving universal access to electricity and clean cooking by 2030. Each strategy identifies specific policy measures to overcome challenges, such as increasing renewable energy adoption, upgrading infrastructure and enhancing financing mechanisms.
According to the United Nations, many African countries remain off track to meet the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims to ensure affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy access for all by 2030. Energy access is also integral to other development goals, including poverty reduction, education, healthcare and gender equality.
The commitments outlined at the summit represent a critical step forward. In the next phases of Mission 300, additional African nations will present their energy strategies, aligning with SDG7 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 — a strategic framework for inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.
As the summit concluded, it marked a significant milestone in Africa’s collective effort to bridge the energy gap and pave the way for sustainable growth and development.