By Olawunmi Ashafa (News Agency of Nigeria)
Energy poverty remains one of Africa’s greatest challenges, with nearly 600 million people across the continent lacking reliable access to electricity.
This lack of energy access hinders progress in education, healthcare, gender equality, and economic development.
Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth, African Development Bank Group, said, “energy is the engine of development, without affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity, Africa cannot achieve its developmental aspirations or secure its rightful place in the global economy.
“Energy access is the cornerstone of economic transformation, opening doors to education, healthcare, and income generation.
“Moreover, it fosters gender equality by reducing the time women spend on labour and time-intensive tasks such as cooking with traditional fuels or collecting for firewood.
“Mission 300’s success is therefore not just about electrification; it is about saving and empowering lives as well as communities. It is also about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and safeguarding biodiversity,” he added.
In response, the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group, along with key partners, have launched Mission 300, an ambitious initiative aimed at delivering electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
A crucial milestone in this initiative is the Africa Energy Summit, taking place in Dar es Salaam on Jan. 27, to Jan. 28.
“Yet, the path ahead is daunting. At the current pace of electrification, coupled with Africa’s rapid population growth, the number of people living without access to electricity could remain largely unchanged.
“Action, is therefore, an imperative, and Mission 300 provides the roadmap to achieve universal energy access by 2030, consistent with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” he said.
On the role of Mission 300, he notes it will invest in new and rehabilitation of generation capacity, transmission systerns, including intra and regional interconnections.
Others, he adds , will be distribution grids to build robust and reliable power systems.
According to him, it will be complemented by reforms in the energy sector to ensure affordability and sustainability of electricity service, and financially viable utilities while partnerships with the private sector will assist in mobilising funding at the required speed and scale
In addition to providing electricity access from interconnected power systems, the vice president explained that, through Mission 300’s transformative vision, mini-grids, and stand alone solar home systems will be prioritised to provide electricity to underserved regions and communities.
This, he further stresses, include in fragile and remote areas where extending the interconnected grid is impracticable.
According to him, these Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) solutions are amenable to easy and speedy roll out, cost effective, modular, sustainable, and can ensure that no community is left behind in the Mission 300 journey.
DRE solutions are projected to account for more that 50 per cent of new connections by 2030.
The summit will convene Heads of State, international organisations, energy experts, and private sector leaders to devise strategies for achieving universal energy access.
Key outcomes of the summit include: the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a commitment to reforms and actions necessary for the success of Mission 300.
It includes 12 country energy compacts detailed, country-specific action plans, including least-cost power expansion models, renewable energy solutions, and private sector involvement.
The key objectives of Mission 300 are capacity building, which focuses on investments in generation capacity, transmission systems, and distribution grids to create affordable and sustainable electricity services.
It also involves deployment of mini-grids and solar home systems to reach underserved regions as well as enlisting new partners and mobilising financial resources to support the mission.
The Mission 300 will also allow leveraging renewable energy by harnessing Africa’s vast renewable energy resources amidst declining costs of renewable technologies.
Kariuki said, “Africa’s path to universal energy access is challenging, but it is also filled with unprecedented opportunities.
“With determination, innovation, and collaboration, we can transform Africa’s energy landscape and make history.”
The Africa Energy Summit is poised to be a transformative event, paving the way for Mission 300’s success.
The initiative calls for strong support from governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society.
By prioritising reforms, mobilising investments, and fostering partnerships, the continent can create a brighter, more sustainable future for millions of Africans. (NAN)
Edited by Folasade Adeniran
