GEAPP, Rockefeller unveil energy access projects in Africa

• Published On: 30 January 2025 at 05:00

The Global Energy Alliance for People and the Planet and The Rockefeller Foundation have launched a new initiative to improve energy access in Africa.

The initiative unveiled 23 energy projects in 11 countries, including the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

According to a statement made available to The PUNCH, these projects, funded through a $10 million joint commitment, are part of the Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million people in Africa by 2030.

The announcement was reportedly made at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, where the two organisations emphasised their ongoing efforts to assist the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank in meeting this lofty goal.

According to reports, the Mission 300 initiative aims to break down bureaucratic barriers and accelerate electricity access across the continent.

"The Rockefeller Foundation established the Mission 300 Accelerator to demonstrate how philanthropy can overcome bureaucratic barriers and jumpstart World Bank and African Development Bank energy projects." In just a few months, we have collaborated with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Sustainable Energy for All, and the banks to advance two dozen projects, putting us on track to bring reliable electricity to 300 million people across Africa at unprecedented speed," said Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of the Mission 300 Accelerator.

According to the statement, Africa currently has an average electrification rate of 50%, with approximately 600 million people living without access to reliable electricity.