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Vol 67 No 19

Published 25th September 2026


Electricity drive confronts financing gap

Mission 300’s reported progress is good news – but it favours bankable governments rather than those whose electricity deprivation is deepest

Africa’s largest electrification initiative has made an early advance, with the World Bank and African Development Bank reporting more than 50 million electricity connections in 40 countries. The figure is one-sixth of Mission 300’s goal to connect 300 million people by 2030. The next phase will be more difficult: programmes need to expand grids, deploy mini-grids and household solar, attract private capital and improve utility finances at the same time. The World Bank says more than $50 billion in development finance had been pledged by July, but commitments will not automatically resolve weak payment systems, currency risk and politically constrained tariffs.

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