FG Denies Nigeria’s Exclusion from World Bank’s Electricity Reforms
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the World Bank and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, saying it was among the first countries to sign on earlier this year, despite not appearing on a fresh list of African governments endorsing electricity reforms.
Seventeen African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Cameroon, endorsed National Energy Compacts at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York on Wednesday as part of Mission 300, a drive to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
Nigeria’s absence from that list raised questions, given its status as one of the continent’s largest economies with a long history of power shortages.
In response, Media Aide to the Minister of Power, Bolaji Tunji, said Nigeria had already signed the compact in January 2025 during a ceremony in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with President Bola Tinubu signing on behalf of the country in the presence of former African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina.
“In any case, Nigeria’s name is not missing. Nigeria was among the 12 countries that had earlier committed to the initiative as far back as January 2025,” Tunji said.
He added that the other countries that endorsed the National Energy Compact under the Mission 300 initiative alongside Nigeria are Chad, the Ivory Coast, DRC, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.”
Nigeria was part of the first batch of 12 countries to commit to the initiative, alongside Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.
The Ministry of Power noted that the country had since held local consultations, including a Mission 300 stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja in July, where the Minister of Power disclosed that $15.5bn of the $32.8bn required for Nigeria’s compact would come from the private sector.
The government added that the 17 countries listed at the New York forum represented the latest entrants to Mission 300 and that Nigeria’s commitment remained intact.
Mission 300, jointly led by the World Bank Group and AfDB, is built around National Energy Compacts that set out policy and financing blueprints for each country. The initiative is backed by development partners including the Rockefeller Foundation, Sustainable Energy for All, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.
“Electricity is the bedrock of jobs, opportunity, and economic growth,” World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said. “That’s why Mission 300 is more than a target; it is forging enduring reforms that slash costs, strengthen utilities, and draw in private investment.”
Since its launch, the programme has connected 30 million people across Africa, with more than 100 million connections in the pipeline, according to the World Bank.
African Development Bank Group President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah said, “Reliable, affordable power is the fastest multiplier for small and medium enterprises, agro-processing, digital work, and industrial value-addition. He added, “Give a young entrepreneur power, and you’ve given them a pay cheque.”
President of Botswana, Duma Boko, said, “This National Compact is our shared pledge to ensure accessible, reliable and affordable energy as a basic human need, to transform our economy and create jobs, and to electrify our journey to an inclusive high-income country.”