ABA Editorial · Jun 18, 2025 · 3 min read
The African Development Bank used its presence at the 27th African Energy Forum to launch its flagship Electricity Regulatory Index 2024 Report and showcase its Mission 300 commitment to connect 50 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The African Development Bank Group launched its flagship Electricity Regulatory Index 2024 Report during the 27th African Energy Forum, which took place in Cape Town, South Africa from 17 to 20 June 2025. The launch was part of a broader programme in which the Bank spotlighted its strategic energy access initiatives, particularly Mission 300, the joint campaign with the World Bank Group to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The African Development Bank has committed to delivering 50 million of Mission 300's 300 million new connections target, working with countries and partners to align investment and policy reforms. Between 2016 and 2025, the Bank invested approximately USD 12.74 billion to connect over 28 million people to electricity and finance nearly 40,000 kilometers of distribution lines. In 2024 alone, Bank operations enabled the generation of 1,019 megawatts of electricity, the construction of 2,326 kilometers of transmission infrastructure, and provided electricity access to 448,000 people.
Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, led the institution's delegation at the forum. Bank representatives engaged in high-level sessions on sustainable utility transformation, regional power trade, energy transition, clean energy finance, and youth-led innovation in the energy sector. The Bank also supported the Youth Energy Summit held alongside AEF 2025, which engaged over 4,000 participants.
The Electricity Regulatory Index provides comparative data on regulatory frameworks across African electricity sectors, offering policymakers, regulators, and private-sector participants a tool for benchmarking reform progress. The index has become an input into the National Energy Compacts that African governments have submitted under the Mission 300 framework, several of which explicitly reference regulatory reform as a priority area.
The African Energy Forum is an annual gathering of governments, utilities, regulators, private-sector developers, and development partners involved in African electricity sector development. The 2025 edition drew participants from across the continent and from international financiers active in African energy markets.