600 Million Africans still without Electricity– Adesina

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600 Million Africans Still Without Electricity – Adesina

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has highlighted that despite Africa's abundant renewable energy resources, around 600 million people across the continent still lack access to electricity.

Speaking at the 2025 Standard Chartered Bank Africa Summit in Lagos, Adesina emphasized the urgent need for significant investments to close the continent’s energy gap. He noted Africa's immense renewable energy potential, including 11 terawatts of solar, 350 gigawatts of hydro, 150 gigawatts of wind, and 15 gigawatts of geothermal power.

He stressed that harnessing these resources could drive large-scale industrialization, boost Africa’s global competitiveness, and increase value addition in key sectors like agriculture, mining, and metals.

Adesina also mentioned “Mission 300,” a joint initiative between the AfDB and the World Bank aimed at providing electricity to 300 million people by 2030. This initiative requires substantial funding, with the first 12 countries involved needing about $127 billion—$61 billion of which is expected to come from the private sector.

To attract more investments in energy and infrastructure, he called for expanding public-private partnerships and developing mechanisms to prepare bankable projects.

Regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Adesina said Africa must invest heavily in infrastructure, energy, digital access, roads, transport, healthcare, education, water, sanitation, and human capital. He estimated the continent would need at least $1.3 trillion annually to meet these goals.

Adesina concluded by urging Africa to shift from reliance on aid to attracting investments, stressing that the continent has the resources and potential to meet its development targets.