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Cameroon has formally launched its national energy compact as part of the broader Mission 300 initiative, an ambitious continental program designed to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. This strategic move aims to bridge the country’s significant energy access gap by connecting an additional eight million Cameroonians to the electricity grid over the next five years.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where global leaders convened to address pressing developmental challenges. The initiative signals Cameroon’s firm commitment to achieving universal energy access and promoting inclusive economic growth through energy sector reforms and investment attraction, particularly in clean and renewable energy solutions.
Cameroon’s energy compact is being led in coordination with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG), the two principal organizations spearheading Mission 300. Under this continental initiative, the World Bank has committed to providing electricity access to 250 million people, while the AfDB will target another 50 million across Africa. This comes in response to the staggering reality that nearly 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa—approximately 83% of the global population without electricity access—remain off the grid.
According to Cameroon’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, only 67% of the country’s population currently has access to electricity. This leaves over seven million people without reliable power. The energy compact seeks to raise the country’s electricity generation capacity to 3,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030. Furthermore, it targets increasing access to clean cooking solutions to at least 40% of households, a move that addresses both health and environmental concerns.
Speaking on the initiative, Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba emphasized the dual goals of social inclusion and financial sustainability. He noted that achieving these ambitious targets will require robust policy reforms, the execution of well-defined operational plans, and the creation of a favorable investment climate that reassures and encourages private sector participation.
Cameroon’s compact, valued at around USD 12 billion, is expected to draw substantial capital from international development partners, philanthropic organizations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, and private investors. It forms a key component of the overall Mission 300 framework, which is projected to mobilize up to USD 90 billion in total—USD 50 billion of which has already been secured in confirmed commitments.
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To meet the electrification goals across Africa, the strategy outlines that approximately half of all new connections will be achieved by expanding national power grids, while the other half will be delivered through decentralized renewable energy (DRE) systems, such as solar mini-grids and standalone solar home systems.
Cameroon’s energy compact not only addresses a critical domestic need but also aligns the country with a transformative pan-African agenda aimed at eradicating energy poverty and accelerating the continent’s economic modernization through sustainable, inclusive, and investor-friendly energy development.
