DLO Energy Resources Group is proud to announce that its Founder and CEO, Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, has been appointed as a Founding Member of the Mission 300 Private Sector Council, an initiative led by the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank Group, and The Rockefeller Foundation.
Mission 300 is a landmark partnership aimed at addressing one of Africa’s most urgent development challenges: the electricity access crisis. Today, hundreds of millions of Africans still live without reliable access to power, limiting economic opportunity, constraining healthcare and education systems, and slowing industrial growth. Mission 300 seeks to close the electricity access gap for 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
The Private Sector Council will comprise approximately 12–15 executive leaders and will be spearheaded by Mr. Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The Council will provide strategic guidance on enabling policy reforms, mobilising private sector capital, and designing catalytic finance platforms to accelerate commercial investment in energy systems across Africa.
Mabhena-Olagunju’s appointment recognises her pioneering role in Africa’s renewable energy sector. As one of the continent’s leading African women in energy infrastructure development, she has been at the forefront of advancing independent power projects and championing sustainable, inclusive investment models. Through DLO Energy Resources Group, she has contributed to the growth of renewable energy infrastructure while advocating for stronger African participation and leadership in the sector.
“South Africa has demonstrated that when governments create clear policy frameworks and open the market to private sector participation through Independent Power Producers, it is possible to turn the tide and strengthen energy security. This same focus on reform, investment mobilisation and partnership can unlock the potential in countries such as Nigeria and many others across the continent. Electricity is the foundation of industrialization, it powers manufacturing, enables beneficiation of natural resources, drives digital economies, and supports healthcare and education systems. Without reliable and affordable power, economies cannot fully industrialise or compete globally,” said Mabhena-Olagunju.
She further emphasised that while the continent advances toward cleaner energy systems, the human capital component must remain central to the transition. Through the DLO Academy, close to 2,600 young Africans have been trained in vocational and project finance skills, building the expertise required to sustain Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
“The transition to cleaner energy must also be a just transition,” she added. “Investing in infrastructure alone is not enough, we must invest in people. Through the DLO Academy, we are equipping young Africans with the technical and project finance skills needed to participate meaningfully in the energy sector, ensuring that Africa’s energy future is both sustainable and inclusive.” Her inclusion on the Mission 300 Private Sector Council underscores the critical role of African private sector leadership, particularly women leaders, in shaping the continent’s energy future and delivering scalable, impact-driven solutions at a pivotal moment for Africa’s development.
