Uche Cecil Izuora
Sahara Power Group has joined the Mission 300 Private Sector Council, a high-level platform announced by the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and The Rockefeller Foundation to accelerate efforts to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, while unlocking large scale job creation across the continent.
The inclusion of Sahara Power Group reflects its long-standing role in strengthening Africa’s power ecosystem through investments across generation, distribution, renewable and off grid energy solutions, and data enabled infrastructure.
Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, has been appointed to the Mission 300 Private Sector Council, joining leaders from global energy, finance, infrastructure, and technology institutions.
Announcing the launch of the Council, Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), said, “Mission 300’s success depends on mobilizing private investment at scale and implementing strategies shaped by businesses with experience in Africa’s energy sector. This council brings exactly that, senior leaders with the networks and expertise to translate ambition into impact.”
Adesina said the initiative underscores the indispensable role of the private sector in closing Africa’s electricity access gap. “Closing Africa’s electricity gap will require strategic collaboration and sustained private investment,” Adesina said. “Mission 300 provides a credible platform for aligning policy ambition with bankable projects, and Sahara Power Group is proud to contribute its experience in developing, operating, and financing power assets that deliver reliable electricity and economic value.”
Adesina noted that Sahara Power Group’s participation aligns with its broader strategy of enabling power systems that support industrial growth, economic transformation, and inclusive development across Africa.
“Access to reliable electricity is a prerequisite for industrialisation and competitiveness. Through Mission 300, we have an opportunity to deepen collaboration between governments, development institutions, and private investors to bring energy responsibly to Africa,” he added.
Sahara Power Group is a subsidiary of Sahara Group, a global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, and operates the largest privately owned power business in Sub Saharan Africa through its affiliates. Its portfolio includes Egbin Power Plc, the largest thermal power plant in Sub Saharan Africa; Ikeja Electric, the region’s largest electricity distribution company; and First Independent Power Limited (FIPL), a leading generation company serving the Niger Delta region.
Mission 300 is designed to crowd in billions of dollars in private investment by strengthening national energy compacts, integrating regional power markets, expanding renewable and off grid solutions, and scaling catalytic finance structures that de risk investment.
Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has already connected 44 million people to electricity, with 30 countries signing national energy compacts to accelerate delivery.