AfDB Approves $3.9m for Nigeria-Led Electrification Drive
Atume Terfa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $3.9 million technical assistance package aimed at converting Nigeria’s power sector ambitions into real electricity connections, as part of a wider continental effort to tackle Africa’s chronic energy access deficit.
The support falls under AESTAP Mission 300 Phase II, a two-year programme linked to the ambitious Mission 300 initiative, jointly driven by the AfDB, the World Bank and development partners to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. While countries like Nigeria have rolled out National Energy Compacts detailing reform plans and investment targets, execution has often lagged behind promises — a gap the new funding is designed to close.
Under the programme, teams of technical experts will work closely with Nigerian authorities and other participating governments to tighten electricity regulations, improve sector planning, and modernise tariff systems. The goal is to create power markets that are both financially viable and attractive to private investors. Advisers will also be embedded within national Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units to coordinate reforms across ministries and track progress more effectively.
Beyond Nigeria, the initiative covers 13 African countries, including Chad, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Gabon, Madagascar and Uganda. By strengthening regulation, boosting utility performance and improving energy data systems, AfDB hopes the programme will help move countries from policy commitments to actual power connections for homes, businesses and communities.
Phase II builds on earlier work under Mission 300’s first phase, which focused on developing institutional capacity within energy ministries and implementation units. The latest approval reflects growing recognition that technical know-how and hands-on execution support are just as critical as financing in solving Africa’s electricity challenge.
Nigeria, home to one of the world’s largest populations without reliable power, has also benefited from broader AfDB backing. The bank recently approved a $500 million facility to support electricity infrastructure expansion and energy transition reforms under its Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Programme.
Taken together, the AfDB’s mix of funding and technical assistance signals a sharper focus on delivery, helping Nigeria and other African countries turn long-standing energy plans into dependable electricity supply, a cornerstone for economic growth and improved living standards.
