Energy transition accelerates with rollout of new policies

September 24, 2025

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At least seven African countries have introduced or proposed major energy policy and regulatory changes in the past month. Among them are Liberia and Nigeria, which are advancing net-metering reforms that would allow rooftop solar owners and businesses to export excess power to the grid and earn credits on their electricity bills.

  • According to our policy tracker, at least 47 policies and regulatory reforms have been initiated or implemented across 20 African countries since the start of the year, signalling a wave of action aimed at expanding renewables. 

  • Nigeria has been the most active, with nine reforms at both national and state levels following the unbundling of its electricity sector. Kenya and South Africa follow, with seven reforms each.

  • Our take: What must follow is strict implementation to ensure countries fully benefit from the reforms already in place…Read more (2 min)

Global investor Acumen has finalised a $247 million blended finance capital raise, dedicated to scaling clean energy solutions in the continent's most remote regions. Combined with a $90 million fund announced earlier this month, Acumen has now secured a total of $337 million to tackle the continent’s energy access challenge.

  • Africa is projected to receive only 2% of global clean energy investment in 2025. This is largely due to financial challenges such as currency depreciation and rising interest rates.

  • Blended finance (a mix of public, private and philanthropic capital) is emerging as a viable financing model. The sector has attracted at least $4 billion this year, according to the Renewables Rising funding database.

  • Our take: Acumen is directly addressing a core market failure that leaves millions without power.… Read more (2 min)

Africa’s off-grid energy sector has received a $16 million boost from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. The funding is part of a World Bank and AfDB-led initiative to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. Since its launch in 2021, it has awarded $503 million in catalytic funding, unlocking $7.8 billion in total investment.

  • The organisation is now seeking more philanthropic partners as foreign governments cut aid, and the need for affordable capital to reach rural communities grows.

  • Private sector funding is rising as African countries streamline policies, but high lending rates still make rural electrification costly.  

  • Our take: Electrification must go beyond basic lighting needs to powering revenue-generating activities… Read more (2 min)

LONGi and CAPP team up to bring micro-grid solutions to Central Africa

 

Events

🗓️ Take part in a webinar on why every business needs an ESG Strategy (Sep 26)

🗓️ Attend South Africa’s African Energy Week 2025 event (Sep 29)

🗓️ Register for a workshop on the power of minigrids in East Africa (Oct 2)

Jobs

👨‍💼 Apply for Green Scene’s Strategic Partnerships & Funding role (Ethiopia)

👩🏻‍💼 Join Engie as a Regional Sales Manager (Mozambique)

👷🏼 Become M-Kopa’s Senior Manager, People Systems & Analytics (Kenya)

Various 

💰 New Nigerian energy committee targets $50 billion investment

⚡ Construction begins on Zambia’s 100MW Maamba solar project

👷🏻‍♀️ GIZ Kenya seeks participants for a Solar Photovoltaic Installer II course 

🟢 RS Group joins forces with SolarAid to deliver solar light solutions

Seen on LinkedIn 

Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of the Mission 300 Accelerator, says, “Is it a coincidence that internet access in Tanzania increased from 13% to 60% in the last five years while electricity access increased from about 30% to over 70% over that same time period? Absolutely not!”