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• Minister for Africa Lord Collins announces support to extend electricity access to millions across Africa.

• New deal between British International Investment and UK cleantech company MOPO will connect over a million people across the DRC to renewable energy sources,聽delivering on the Plan for Change by unleashing the power of British technological innovation.

• UK聽partnership with the African Development Bank will聽also聽channel private sector capital into African clean energy.

Millions more people across Africa will have access to clean power thanks to UK investment, Africa Minister Lord Collins has announced.

This comes as UK Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte attends the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit today [27 January] in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

The UK is one of the largest investors in clean energy in Africa and is working in partnership to support the Mission 300 initiative, which aims to expand electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030.聽Half of Africa鈥檚 population 鈥� 600 million people 鈥� lack vital access to electricity.

Lord Collins is announcing a 拢5.3 million new deal between British International Investment (BII),聽the UK鈥檚 development finance institution, and UK cleantech firm MOPO.聽

This investment will enable聽MOPO聽to expand its pay-per-use battery rental operations in the DRC where over 80% of the population lack access to electricity. It demonstrates how UK companies are unlocking new opportunities for growth and positive impact that the clean energy transition has to offer in the UK and beyond.

Lord Collins will also announce聽new UK support of 拢8.5 million towards the African Development Bank鈥檚 Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to build on existing efforts between the UK and African partners to connect millions of people across the continent with clean, reliable power.

Today鈥檚 announcement will unlock private sector investment in renewable energy projects including clean cooking and energy efficiency.

The support, which will be delivered as part of the UK鈥檚 Africa Regional Climate and Nature Programme (ARCAN), will accelerate renewable energy adoption and improve energy efficiency, developing solar-powered mini-grids in rural communities and providing technical assistance for large-scale renewable energy projects.

聽Minister for Africa Lord Collins of Highbury said:

The UK has set a landmark goal to be the first major economy to deliver clean power by 2030, and through our Plan for Change we鈥檒l harness technology to transform the UK into a clean energy superpower. We want to leverage this ambition with our African partners to power green growth, eradicate poverty and tackle climate change.

Connecting the continent to clean, reliable energy is vital, and UK support is helping ensure millions are getting the access they need to prosper through planet-friendly solutions. This will also allow us to deepen our partnerships across Africa, sharing expertise, finance and innovation.

These announcements from Lord Collins show how the UK Government is delivering on the聽, which will transform the UK into a clean energy superpower,聽cutting bills and guaranteeing our energy independence,聽while championing clean technology innovation overseas 聽and generating opportunities for investment and jobs in British businesses.聽

Speaking at the summit, the UK鈥檚 Special Representative on Climate, Rachel Kyte, said:

Reliable, affordable and clean energy is the cornerstone of economic growth and development. Clean energy, through modern grids and distributed renewable energy offers an opportunity for inclusive growth. Helping end energy poverty supports growth, builds resilience and puts countries on a pathway that helps our common challenge of fighting climate change.聽 The UK is working with partners across Africa to connect millions of people in the region with cleaner and more efficient power. That聽is聽why I鈥檓 pleased to be at this summit, supporting Mission 300 and reaffirming our commitment to our shared sustainable development goals especially in Africa.

At the summit, the聽UK鈥檚 Special Representative for Climate聽will set out how the UK is deepening聽our聽partnerships with African nations and multilateral institutions to fuel the clean energy revolution and stimulate growth whilst tackling the climate emergency.

Leslie Maasdorp, BII CEO said:聽

At BII we want to use our distinctive position, and track record, to create more early-stage solutions that help expand access to energy for more Africans. This is demonstrated through our investment in MOPO, which is expected to reach over a million people in DRC where energy access is limited.

More broadly, we welcome the partnership of African governments, as well as other institutions like the African Development Bank, in making that ambition a reality.

Today鈥檚聽announcements at the Dar Es Salaam summit聽also reinforce the long-standing UK-Tanzania partnership.

Tanzania聽was聽one of the first countries to sign up to聽the聽first mission of the聽UK鈥檚聽.聽The聽two countries are working together to boost the global clean energy transition, whilst furthering trade opportunities that will create jobs and deliver economic growth. 聽聽

Notes to Editors:

• BII is playing its part in the overall ecosystem to meet the goals of Mission 300.聽Today,聽BII鈥檚 investments provide clean energy to over 26 million people聽across sub-Saharan Africa and it has ambitions to do more.
• MOPO聽installs hundreds of solar powered hubs which rent MOPO batteries to customers in regions far from the main grid.聽MOPO was supported in its early stages to develop its technology, business model and partnerships through the FCDO鈥檚聽Transforming Energy Access programme.
• The ADB funding will be delivered through the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and will provide concessional finance and technical assistance to mobilise finance from the private sector into innovate, clean energy projects. Investments made by SEFA with support from the UK and other donors is expected to create 1.3 million new electricity connections in Africa.
• The Africa Regional Climate and Nature Programme (ARCAN) is part of the UK鈥檚 wider 拢11.6bn International Climate Finance commitment. Other projects include the Climate Adaptation and Resilience research programme (CLARE), FSD Africa and FSD Africa investments, and Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA).