Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, has been appointed to the Mission 300 Private Sector Council, a high-level initiative backed by the World Bank Group, African Development Bank, and The Rockefeller Foundation to expand electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
The council, comprising just 14 senior leaders from across energy, finance, infrastructure, and technology, is tasked with mobilising private capital and accelerating investments needed to close Africa’s electricity gap.
Adesina’s appointment follows the earlier selection of Sahara Power Group, part of Sahara Group, for participation in the initiative. In his new role, he will work alongside global business leaders to translate the programme’s ambitious targets into practical, investable power projects.
Sahara Power Group brings significant experience to the table, with key assets including Egbin Power Plc, Ikeja Electric, and First Independent Power Limited. The company’s involvement reflects its long-standing role in strengthening Africa’s energy ecosystem through investments in generation, distribution, renewable energy, and data-driven infrastructure.
Speaking on the appointment, Adesina described it as both an honour and a responsibility, noting that delivering electricity at scale will require strong collaboration between governments, development institutions, and private investors.
“Closing Africa’s electricity gap will require strategic collaboration and sustained private investment,” he 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.”
He added that improving access to electricity is fundamental to industrialisation, competitiveness, and inclusive economic growth across the continent.
The initiative underscores the growing recognition that the private sector will play a central role in addressing Africa’s energy deficit, particularly through scalable, commercially viable projects.
Announcing the council’s launch, Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation and co-chair of the council, emphasised the importance of private sector leadership in achieving the initiative’s goals.
He noted that Mission 300’s success will depend on mobilising investment at scale and leveraging the expertise of industry leaders with deep operational experience in Africa’s power sector.
