A New Wave of Energy Hits Africa

Being able to have the light on, the water running, and the stove flaming is something that seems relatively common, right? In reality, the World Health Organization reports that “655 million people globally still lack access to electricity,” and a disproportionate number of these individuals are from Sub-Saharan Africa (Joint News Release). Unfortunately, these communities faced many downsides because of this deficit: the lack of refrigeration, fuel for heat and AC, and medical systems for life support are only some of many. To combat these deficiencies, certain companies and organizations have taken the initiative to implement new, better systems into these areas; Mission 300 is one of them.

Together, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group have formed a partnership with one goal: “...connect 300 million people to energy access by 2030” (World Bank Group). Driven by the belief that household electricity makes the biggest difference, the two groups have truly immersed themselves to achieve their goal. Recently, the two reached a major milestone by connecting “over 50 million people to electricity across 40 countries,” a number that will significantly boost them towards success.

Not only did the initiative achieve this, though; they were also able to double their pace. Now, the team is investing across the entire energy chain. Everything from energy generation to delivery is run by the collective, meaning the pace at which individuals receive energy is faster than what it used to be. This has also allowed beyond households, such as businesses and institutions, to acquire energy.

In two specific areas, Tanzania and Ethiopia, real-life examples of Mission 300’s impact are visible. In Tanzania, “...7.5 million people have gained access to power under Mission 300,” which is around 10% of the country’s total population (World Bank Group). This increase in energy supply is fivefold compared to years before the initiative took action. In Ethiopia, a similar situation has occurred with 4.6 million people receiving power. For Ethiopians, it is especially extraordinary as electricity is mainly an affordability issue rather than a supply issue.

At the end of the day, groups such as Mission 300 are becoming more popular globally. Companies such as M-KOPA, which aims to “...create financial inclusion for the traditionally excluded through a fair, flexible, customer-centric financing model,” and Energicity, which “[believes] in the transformative power of sustainable energy to generate positive impact in rural communities,” both also heavily impact Sub-Saharan territories (M-Kopa and Energicity). The main point is that electricity is valuable, and every year more people are finding ways to make it more accessible by continuing this revolutionary path; who knows what the future could hold for those who still lack it.