Mission 300: Accelerating Africa’s Energy Access Through Collaborative Action

The recent Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam has highlighted the urgent need to address energy access in Africa. I believe this initiative presents a critical opportunity to leverage our collective experience and resources to drive rapid, sustainable change.
With nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacking access to electricity, the goal of connecting 300 million people by 2030 is both ambitious and necessary. Our experience at EDFI Management Company has shown that supporting innovative private sector solutions can significantly accelerate progress towards this goal.
Leveraging Private Sector Innovation
We have fostered and witnessed first hand the transformative impact of entrepreneurial ventures in the energy sector. Companies like Nuru, Husk Power Systems, and WeLight have demonstrated remarkable agility and effectiveness in deploying renewable energy solutions across diverse African contexts. These enterprises are providing electricity and that means, they’re creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and pioneering sustainable business models. They prove that electrification and development are the two sides of the same coin.
Key Strategies for Success
- Fostering Collaboration: The success of Mission 300 hinges on effective collaboration between development finance institutions, governments, private companies, and local communities.
- Adaptive Financing: We need to continue developing flexible financial instruments that can adapt to the unique challenges of each project and region. This includes working capital facilities, equity investments, and innovative debt structures.
- Scaling Proven Solutions: Our investments in companies like Okra Solar and Les Soleils du Bénin have shown that innovative technologies, when properly supported, can rapidly expand energy access. We must focus on scaling these proven solutions.
- Capacity Building: Investing in local technical and managerial capacity is crucial for the long-term sustainability of energy projects. Our experience has shown that supporting local entrepreneurs and training programs yield significant dividends.
The Path Forward
The goal of Mission 300 is ambitious, but achievable. Our collective experience has shown us what works:
- Supporting agile, innovative private sector solutions
- Leveraging blended finance to catalyse investment
- Fostering deep collaboration between all stakeholders
- Adapting financial instruments to local contexts
- Investing in local capacity and entrepreneurship
At EDFI Management Company we are determined to decisively contribute to the M300 goal by leveraging our resources and expertise, in particular our blended finance offer to provide the right risk-return balance to mobilise additional capital. We are specifically aimed at providing private sector-led electrification solutions in the most difficult contexts such us conflict-affected territories or rural and isolated regions. Pumping equity into purpose-driven companies that deploy cutting-edge decentralised renewable energy technology is a must if we want to ensure affordable electricity for all.
However, the scale of the challenge demands that we work together more closely than ever before. No single institution or approach can solve Africa’s energy access challenge alone. We must align our efforts, share knowledge, and coordinate our investments to maximize impact. The National Compacts presented by many Governments in the M300 Energy Africa Summit shows us all the way forward.
The path to universal energy access in Africa is clear, but it requires unwavering commitment and unprecedented collaboration. By working together – development finance institutions, governments, private companies, and local communities – we can turn the vision of Mission 300 into reality. We have the tools, the knowledge, and the determination. Now is the time to act, collectively and decisively, to illuminate Africa’s future.
Rodrigo Madrazo Garcia de Lomana


