African Civil Society Calls for Inclusive and Equitable Energy Reforms at Africa Heads of State Energy Summit

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – January 28, 2025

On the sidelines of the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, African civil society leaders convened to deliberate on urgent reforms, investments, and innovations necessary to ensure universal access to sustainable energy by 2030. The high-level dialogue, co-hosted by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access (ACSEA), Shine Collab, and Forum CC, sought to align the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration with the principles of justice, equity, and sustainability.

Addressing Africa’s Energy Deficit: The Mission 300 Initiative

The Summit prominently featured Mission 300, a joint initiative by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) aiming to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. This ambitious project envisions expanding grid networks, investing in off-grid and mini-grid solutions, and mobilizing innovative financing to bridge Africa’s massive energy access gap.

Currently, 630 million people in Africa remain without electricity, while 800 million continue to rely on traditional biomass for cooking, leading to severe health risks, environmental degradation, and deepening gender inequalities. By tackling these issues, the Summit and Mission 300 aspire to deliver transformative change in Africa’s energy landscape.

Concerns Over Inclusivity and Civil Society’s Role

Despite its promise, participants at the civil society convening raised concerns about the inclusivity of Mission 300. Many pointed out that similar ambitious energy initiatives in the past had failed due to weak implementation, lack of community engagement, and insufficient accountability mechanisms.

Key concerns included:

• The Role of Last-Mile Communities: Energy interventions must be designed with input from the very communities they seek to serve. Without grassroots involvement, top-down solutions risk being ineffective and unsustainable.
• Ensuring Government and Private Sector Accountability: Civil society has historically played a crucial role in monitoring policy implementation and holding both governments and private sector actors accountable. Participants stressed the need for robust mechanisms to track commitments and progress.
• Avoiding Past Failures: Many energy initiatives have made lofty promises but ultimately failed due to poor planning, lack of financing, or neglect of social and environmental impacts. Mission 300 must learn from these experiences to avoid repeating history.

Key Recommendations from Civil Society

To ensure that Africa’s energy transition is just, inclusive, and sustainable, civil society leaders put forward the following recommendations:

1. Adopt a People-Centered Approach – Energy solutions must be tailored to the needs of communities, particularly in rural and marginalized areas. Community ownership models and participatory planning should be prioritized.
2. Enhance Transparency and Accountability – Governments and development banks should establish clear reporting mechanisms and independent monitoring bodies to track Mission 300’s progress. Civil society should be actively involved in these oversight processes.
3. Promote Renewable and Clean Energy Investments – While expanding electricity access, African governments should prioritize decentralized renewable energy solutions such as solar, wind, and mini-grids over fossil fuel-based systems.
4. Strengthen Financing for Local Energy Innovators – A significant portion of energy financing should be directed toward local enterprises, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs who understand the unique needs of African communities.
5. Integrate Gender and Social Inclusion – Energy planning and implementation must address gender disparities by ensuring women’s participation in decision-making and prioritizing clean cooking solutions that reduce household air pollution.

Moving Forward: A Call for Action

As Africa pushes toward universal energy access by 2030, civil society remains committed to advocating for inclusive and equitable policies that prioritize people over profits. The dialogue in Dar es Salaam underscored the need for governments, multilateral institutions, and private sector actors to work hand-in-hand with civil society to ensure Mission 300 and other energy initiatives deliver tangible, lasting benefits for African communities.

Africa can leap forward in its energy transition by championing justice, sustainability, and accountability—without leaving anyone behind.

Download to read more: Making Mission 300