Officials engage FG on jobs, energy access, and private sector-led growth
The World Bank’s Mission 300 initiative is set to provide household electricity to about 17.5 million Nigerians as officials intensify engagement with the Federal Government to support job creation, private sector growth, and broader national development.
This was disclosed in a statement sent to Nairametrics on Sunday.
The initiative forms part of the World Bank Group’s wider efforts to back Nigeria’s reform agenda and align development support with the country’s long-term priorities.
As part of this engagement, the World Bank’s Managing Director of Operations, Anna Bjerde, is scheduled to begin a three-day official visit to Nigeria on February 1, 2026. The visit is aimed at deepening consultations on how the Bank can best support Nigeria’s development strategy.
According to the statement, Bjerde’s visit will include meetings with senior government officials, private sector leaders, and civil society organisations. These engagements will contribute to preparations for the World Bank’s upcoming Country Partnership Framework for Nigeria.
The Country Partnership Framework is expected to focus on job creation, expanded energy access, and private sector-driven economic growth.
On Mission 300, the World Bank explained that the programme will largely deliver electricity through off-grid and renewable energy solutions under Nigeria’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up programme.
The initiative is projected to connect 17.5 million Nigerians to household electricity, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
The Bank noted that expanding energy access is expected to improve productivity, support small businesses, and enhance living standards, while reducing pressure on the national grid. Mission 300 is also expected to complement ongoing power sector reforms and attract private investment into distributed energy solutions.
According to the World Bank, these outcomes reinforce the role of energy access as a key driver of inclusive growth and economic resilience.
Beyond energy, the Bank said Bjerde’s visit will cover several other sectors critical to Nigeria’s development.
One of such initiatives is AgriConnect, a World Bank-supported programme aimed at transforming smallholder agriculture into a commercially viable sector by linking farmers to markets, finance, technology, and value chains.
Discussions during the visit will also focus on digital connectivity, social protection systems, and human capital development, including education and healthcare. The Bank noted that these areas are essential for creating jobs, raising incomes, and strengthening resilience to climate and economic shocks.
In January 2025, the World Bank and the African Development Bank jointly launched Mission 300, with the goal of providing electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
As part of the initiative, African countries were encouraged to develop National Energy Compacts outlining strategies to expand electricity access, strengthen power sector institutions, and attract private investment.
In November, the African Development Bank approved a $500 million loan to the Federal Government of Nigeria to finance the second phase of the Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Programme. The Bank also approved a $100 million loan to the Emerging Africa and Asia Infrastructure Fund to support sustainable infrastructure development across Africa.
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