Labour unions across Nigeria and other African countries have rejected the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Bank-supported ‘Mission 300’ electricity access programme, warning that it risks pushing African nations deeper into debt without delivering sustainable power supply.
The unions, under the platform of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), Public Services International (PSI), and IndustriAll Global Union Sub-Saharan African Region which includes members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) made their position known in a joint statement issued on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
The unions described Mission 300 as a continuation of failed neoliberal approaches to electrification, noting its similarity to the AfDB’s New Deal on Energy for Africa launched a decade earlier.
“Despite previous promises by international financial institutions, about 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity,” the statement read.
The unions argued that the New Deal failed to meet its targets, with roughly 50 per cent of sub-Saharan Africans remaining without power at the beginning of 2026.
They criticised Mission 300 for relying heavily on private sector investment through “de-risking” public funds, stating that this approach places unsustainable debt burdens on already struggling governments.
The unions called for a “Reclaim and Restore” strategy focused on strengthening public electricity utilities instead of prioritising private interests.
The statement further expressed concern over tariff adjustments aimed at achieving 100 per cent operational cost recovery, which they said weakens public utilities and fails to expand infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has clarified its continued support for Nigeria’s electricity sector despite the cancellation of about $717 million in undisbursed funds from a major power sector reform programme.
The Bank confirmed that its partnership with the Federal Government remains strong through ongoing projects, including the $500 million Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which aims to improve metering, network rehabilitation, and operational efficiency of electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
Senior External Affairs Officer of the World Bank, Mansir Nasir, said the cancellation of the undisbursed portion of the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) was a joint decision influenced by changing sector conditions and implementation challenges.
He emphasised that other key interventions, such as the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project and renewable energy initiatives, are still being actively funded.
The unions’ rejection highlights growing concerns over the direction of international financing for Africa’s energy sector amid persistent electricity access gaps.
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