African leaders and international donors pledged on Tuesday to provide electricity to an additional 300 million people across sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, drawing on significant advancements in off-grid solar technology.
The commitment came during the African Energy Summit, which took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from Monday, co-organised by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB).
Both institutions made significant financial contributions towards the initiative, with the World Bank promising between "$30-40 billion" and the ADB contributing "$18 billion" to the mission known as "Mission 300."
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), four-fifths of the global population without access to electricity live in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 570 million people affected out of a total of 1.2 billion in 2022.
Off-grid solar power, ranging from basic photovoltaic lamps to more robust local mini-grids, was identified as a crucial element in addressing the electricity gap.
Patrick Tonui, director of regional policy and strategy at Gogla, an organisation representing off-grid solar providers, explained that technological improvements had made solar power more accessible and efficient.
He stated, "The improvements in the technology are allowing you to power more. Fifteen or 20 years ago, you were primarily talking about powering lights and maybe charging a phone.
Now, you can actually run a 40-inch TV, you can run fridges, all at really affordable prices."
This shift in solar panel efficiency has been accompanied by a significant reduction in costs, making off-grid solar solutions increasingly viable for regions with limited access to national electricity grids.
Rural areas, particularly in vast and difficult-to-reach parts of Africa, stand to benefit the most from this technology.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stands as a prime example of the challenges faced, with only 21 percent of its population having access to electricity, according to the World Bank.
In Kenya, even with one of the continent's better national grids, only 40 percent of the country’s area is covered, leaving large parts of its semi-arid northern regions without power.
Tonui added, "From a financial point of view, from a feasibility point of view, as well as even just a time point of view, it's unrealistic to think you can bring the grid everywhere."
He highlighted that up to a quarter of Kenyans rely on off-grid systems for their electricity needs.
National grids, even where they exist, often prove unreliable. Nigeria’s electricity grid collapsed 12 times in the past year, according to industry publication Energy Watch.
In South Africa, controlled blackouts lasting up to 12 hours a day have become routine to prevent grid failure.
The challenge of ensuring consistent electricity access has become more pressing, with the IEA reporting a rise of four million in the number of people without electricity from 2010 to 2022, largely driven by population growth and the economic setbacks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tonui concluded, "The pace of electricity, energy access did not keep up."
