Seventeen African governments have committed to bold reforms and actionable plans to scale up electricity access under Mission 300, but Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most energy-poor nation, was conspicuously missing from the latest endorsements, reports ITREALMS.
The fresh commitments, announced at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York, saw countries including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and others adopt National Energy Compacts; blueprints designed to guide public spending, attract private capital, and remove bottlenecks in their power sectors.
The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are leading Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
Nigeria had earlier this year signed onto the initiative alongside 11 other countries, pledging over 400 policy actions to improve utility efficiency, strengthen regulation, and reduce investor risk. But its absence in the latest round has raised questions over the pace of reform and its ability to keep up with continental peers.
Observers say this is troubling because Nigeria represents nearly one-third of Africa’s unconnected population, with more than 90 million people still living without electricity.
Nigeria had earlier this year signed onto the initiative alongside 11 other countries, pledging over 400 policy actions to improve utility efficiency, strengthen regulation, and reduce investor risk. But its absence in the latest round has raised questions over the pace of reform and its ability to keep up with continental peers.
Observers say this is troubling because Nigeria represents nearly one-third of Africa’s unconnected population, with more than 90 million people still living without electricity.
Without Nigeria’s active participation, experts argue, Mission 300’s goal may be difficult to achieve.
Despite unbundling the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in 2013 and privatising the distribution and generation segments, the country continues to struggle with inadequate transmission capacity, gas supply shortages, debts in the value chain, and persistent blackouts.
Despite unbundling the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in 2013 and privatising the distribution and generation segments, the country continues to struggle with inadequate transmission capacity, gas supply shortages, debts in the value chain, and persistent blackouts.
Installed generation capacity of over 12,000 MW remains underutilised, with less than half available to the national grid at any given time.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga stressed the importance of electricity for growth, stating that “electricity is the bedrock of jobs, opportunity, and economic growth.”
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga stressed the importance of electricity for growth, stating that “electricity is the bedrock of jobs, opportunity, and economic growth.”
Similarly, AfDB President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah emphasised that reliable power is the fastest multiplier for small businesses, agro-processing, digital work, and industrialisation.
Analysts warn that if Nigeria fails to accelerate reforms, such as cost-reflective tariffs, subsidy removal, improved regulatory governance, and risk guarantees to attract private capital, the country risks losing out to smaller, reform-driven markets like Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia that are now investment magnets in Africa’s energy sector.
For ordinary Nigerians, this could mean slower progress in escaping energy poverty, continued high costs of doing business, and weaker competitiveness for industries and the digital economy. For Mission 300, it could threaten the feasibility of its ambitious 2030 target.
Stakeholders have therefore called on the Nigerian government to act decisively, prioritising electricity access as a matter of national security and economic survival, warning that the country cannot afford to remain in the dark while the rest of Africa lights up.
Analysts warn that if Nigeria fails to accelerate reforms, such as cost-reflective tariffs, subsidy removal, improved regulatory governance, and risk guarantees to attract private capital, the country risks losing out to smaller, reform-driven markets like Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia that are now investment magnets in Africa’s energy sector.
For ordinary Nigerians, this could mean slower progress in escaping energy poverty, continued high costs of doing business, and weaker competitiveness for industries and the digital economy. For Mission 300, it could threaten the feasibility of its ambitious 2030 target.
Stakeholders have therefore called on the Nigerian government to act decisively, prioritising electricity access as a matter of national security and economic survival, warning that the country cannot afford to remain in the dark while the rest of Africa lights up.
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