Sahara Group has said it is committed to supporting the achievement of the Mission 300 Energy Access Initiative aimed at extending electricity to 300 million Africans who currently lack access over the next five years.

The Executive Director of Sahara Group, Kola Adesina, who made the commitment, said Africa needs to adopt collaborative policies, sustained multi-stakeholder investments, and bold reforms in the quest to address the continent’s low energy access.

Addressing journalists at the recently concluded Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, Adesina said the continent’s pressing energy challenges require immediate action involving African nations and international partners to adequately power underserved regions, promote renewable energy adoption, and improve energy efficiency across the continent.

“Sahara Group is delighted that heads of government and other critical stakeholders are keen on lighting up Africa by exploring creative ways of extending electricity to over 600 million Africans who currently lack access. The agreement to provide access to electricity for 300 million people in Africa by 2030 which was endorsed by the heads of government and key partners at the summit is a huge step for Africa. Sahara Group is committed to supporting the achievement of this laudable vision through working in collaboration with all stakeholders,” Adesina said.

According to Adesina, the task ahead calls for partnerships among governments, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations. He noted that in addition to securing funding, robust capacity building in energy infrastructure and technology would be required to deliver the initiative seamlessly.

“We are up against the all-important task of bridging the energy gap in Africa and need a strong coalition of stakeholders to achieve this. We will need bold policies and tariff reforms and an unwavering commitment to funding the infrastructure required to bring energy to life responsibly in Africa. Sahara Group has invested in this project, and we are already enhancing our power operations to deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions to improve energy access and economic growth,” he added.

Adesina said working through the Sahara Power Group, the energy conglomerate would continue to make “viable and sustainable” investments in Power Generation and Distribution assets across the continent.

“With about 2,000MW generation capacity, Sahara’s dedication to enhancing energy access is unwavering. In Nigeria, we are set to deliver a new 180MW Power Plant in Rivers State this year to boost power supply and drive industrialisation in Africa’s most populous nation. Sahara Power Group is also exploring investment opportunities in Hydro Generation Plants in East Africa to promote access to clean energy,” he said.

The Mission 300 Energy Access Initiative aims to connect 300 million people to reliable electricity by 2030, ultimately increasing energy access and promoting environmental sustainability through deployment of renewable energy solutions.

Alongside other African and global partners who have pledged to fund and support the initiative, the World Bank Group and Africa Development Bank (AfDB) are expected to play a significant role in financing energy projects, project development and advisory, leveraging partnerships, policy support, capacity building, as well as sustainable and inclusive development.