WASHINGTON, March 21, 2025—The World Bank Board of Directors has approved the Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) in Mozambique project, aimed at accelerating sustainable energy access across Mozambique.
Financed by a $100 million grant from the World Bank’s International Development Association and supplemented by an additional $31 million from the Mozambique Energy for All Multi-Donor Trust Fund—comprising $13 million from the Government of Sweden and $18 million from the Government of Norway—the project aims to transform the lives of households, businesses, and health and education facilities across urban, peri-urban, rural, and deep rural areas.
"Over the next six years, ASCENT Mozambique will focus on expanding access to both on-grid and off-grid electrification, enhancing clean cooking solutions, and improving utility performance. This project aims to provide new electricity access to nearly one million people, offer better cooking solutions to 90,000 individuals, and connect 68 schools, clinics, and other public facilities. These efforts will significantly advance the Government of Mozambique's goal of achieving universal energy access," said Luc Lecuit, Interim Division Director for Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros and Seychelles, and Operations Manager for the World Bank in Mozambique.
The project further contributes to advancing Mission 300 – a World Bank Group and African Development Bank initiative that aims to connect 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030.
Key components of the project include:
- expanding on-grid electrification through new networks, last-mile connections, and rehabilitation of existing networks;
- increasing off-grid electrification and clean cooking solutions, building on the +ENERGIA Off-Grid Financing Facility;
- strengthening utility performance and digitalization;
- providing technical assistance, capacity building, and implementation support to critical sector agencies.
ASCENT Mozambique sets performance-based conditions, which are specific goals that the project must achieve to receive funding. These goals include improving energy infrastructure, ensuring safety for workers and communities, expanding free electricity connections to health and education facilities, and reducing costs for off-grid energy systems.
"This project is crucial for maintaining the recent rapid pace of electrification by the Government of Mozambique. ASCENT Mozambique will enhance the resilience and efficiency of the energy sector, contributing to the country’s sustainable and inclusive development," added Jenny Chao, World Bank Senior Energy Specialist and Task Team Leader.
Mozambique's national electrification program, Programa Nacional de Energia para Todos, is one of fastest- growing in Africa, with electricity access rates rising from 31% in 2018 to 60% in 2024, according to Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). The recently completed Mozambique Energy for All Project, along with the ongoing Sustainable Energy and Broadband Access in Rural Mozambique Project, have significantly contributed to expanding electricity access. To date, these projects have enabled over 2.6 million Mozambicans to connect to the national grid. ASCENT will build on these efforts.
*The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 74 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $496 billion to 114 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $34.7 billion over the last three years (FY20-FY22), with about 70 percent going to Africa. Learn more online: IDA.worldbank.org. #IDAworks
