SA tops September country ranking

From the newsletter

South Africa topped the Renewables Rising country ranking for September, scoring far ahead of other African nations. The country recorded three major projects with a combined capacity of 1.2 GW and posted 527 new energy-sector roles, representing more than 80% of all jobs advertised on the continent that month.

• The Renewables Rising country ranking combines several metrics, including the number and size of projects, funding volumes, policy developments, events, and advertised jobs. It is updated every month.

• This year, Africa’s energy sector has seen project announcements totalling more than 54 GW. Solar remains the dominant technology, though there is a growing trend toward hybridisation with battery storage.

More details

• Kenya ranked second with a score about seven times lower than South Africa. The country announced plans to revive its stalled 700 MW hydropower project and introduced several policy developments, including a mandate requiring all new buildings to set aside space for solar, and a Ministry of Energy proposal to lift the PPA moratorium. On jobs, Kenya also came in second with 55 new roles advertised.

• Nigeria placed third, with no new project announcements but notable funding activity. Mini-grid provider Husk Power secured its first local currency–denominated facility. Policy activity was strong, particularly around net metering, which would allow businesses and households to feed excess power into the grid in exchange for credits. The government also plans to impose a 5% fuel tax on fossil fuels starting next year, raising costs for generator users.

• Zambia ranked fourth, announcing 25 projects totalling 600 MW approved for development, alongside the start of construction on a 300 MW solar plant. This comes as the country experiences its worst period of load-shedding, with some customers receiving just five hours of power per day. There were no new policy developments, and only nine jobs were advertised.

• Egypt came in fifth, securing $320 million in two funding rounds and advertising 23 new roles. This represented a quieter month compared to earlier in the year, when the country dominated with billion-dollar deals. Since January, it has received at least $4 billion in funding, largely from EBRD, AfDB, and Chinese investors.

• Overall, the month saw at least seven new policies, $3.2 billion in funding and commitments, and around 680 new jobs advertised. With the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) just concluded in New York, further announcements from private investors, development finance institutions, and multilateral lenders are expected.

Our take

• It is encouraging to see countries like Kenya revisiting hydropower projects. Despite challenges such as land acquisition, hydropower remains one of the most reliable and cost-effective sources of baseload power today.

• As large utility projects come online, there is a pressing need to upskill energy-sector professionals. Universities can play a vital role by partnering with energy companies to align training with industry needs while also unlocking funding opportunities.

• In the coming weeks, we expect new announcements from deals secured in New York, including fresh funding vehicles tied to climate pledges, productive use of energy, and Africa’s broader energy access goals.