Rockefeller Foundation commits $10 million to boost electricity access in Africa

The Rockefeller Foundation has committed an additional $10 million investment to accelerate electricity access in Africa, reinforcing momentum behind Mission 300, a flagship initiative led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

The funding will support electrification programs across at least 15 African countries, expanding both grid infrastructure and decentralized renewable energy solutions. The investment comes as Africa intensifies efforts to close one of the world’s largest energy access gaps and unlock economic growth across underserved communities.

Energy access remains a cornerstone of Africa’s development agenda, shaping outcomes in healthcare, education, digital connectivity, and job creation.

Mission 300 gains momentum across African markets

Through the initiative, the Rockefeller Foundation is working with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet to accelerate clean energy access and strengthen the delivery of national electrification strategies.

The funding will provide technical assistance and operational support to National Energy Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs), which coordinate energy reforms and infrastructure rollout in participating countries.

Implementation support is already underway in Malawi and Liberia, while additional coordination and monitoring capacity is being strengthened in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal.

The work is also backed by RF Catalytic Capital, the foundation’s public charity arm, through the Mission 300 Accelerator, which helps governments improve policy alignment, financing strategies, and implementation frameworks.

Bridging Africa’s energy gap

Mission 300 is designed to tackle one of the world’s most persistent development challenges: energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

Despite rapid growth in renewable energy and power infrastructure, more than 730 million people globally still lack electricity, with roughly 600 million living in Africa. Limited power access continues to slow economic progress, restrict digital inclusion, and constrain productivity across agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors.

Since its launch, Mission 300 has already helped connect about 44 million people across Africa to electricity through a combination of national grid expansion, solar mini-grids, and off-grid renewable systems.

Leaders emphasize energy as a driver of growth

William Asiko, Senior Vice President and Head of Africa at the Rockefeller Foundation, said African governments are increasingly committing to energy sector reforms and national electrification plans.

“Governments across Africa are advancing ambitious National Energy Compacts and investing in African-led solutions that can connect hundreds of millions of people to electricity,” Asiko said.

“These new connections reduce reliance on costly and unsafe alternatives while helping communities grow businesses, improve agricultural productivity, and expand opportunities in education and healthcare.”

Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of RF Catalytic Capital’s Mission 300 Accelerator, said the initiative is helping accelerate the pace of power connections across the region.

“Energy access is fundamental to unlocking economic opportunity and human potential,” Herscowitz said. “These additional investments will allow Mission 300 to scale faster and reach our goal of connecting 300 million people to electricity by 2030.”

A century-old philanthropy focused on global development

Founded in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller, an American industrialist, who founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870,  the Rockefeller Foundation has long supported global initiatives spanning public health, food systems, climate resilience, and renewable energy.

The U.S.-based philanthropy continues to invest in clean energy, data-driven innovation, and sustainable infrastructure, positioning energy access as a critical pillar for inclusive economic growth across Africa and emerging markets.

As electrification efforts expand, initiatives like Mission 300 are increasingly viewed as central to Africa’s broader push toward sustainable development, energy transition, and economic transformation.