Solar takes off even in the least expected countries in Africa

August 28, 2025

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At least 19 African countries have imported more solar panels in the past seven months than they did in the entire 2024, according to the global think tank Ember. Algeria tops the list with 1,072 MW, which is more than triple last year’s total, followed by Sudan with 493 MW, more than eight times its 2024 imports, as African nations push electrification to new heights.

  • In total, African countries imported 9,500 MW in the last seven months, which is more than the total installed capacity for Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Even countries least expected, like Chad and Liberia, have already surpassed their 2024 imports.

  • The growing trend is spread across Africa, with 19 countries so far having imported more than 100 MW in the past seven months, compared to 20 the entire last year. If the trend continues, at least 26 countries are expected to cross the 100 MW mark.

  • Our take: Solar's decentralised nature is expected to define the next growth phase, especially in countries with poor grid networks … Read more (2 min)

How the continent benefits from US-China trade wars

African countries are capitalising on US tariffs on China by attracting Chinese firms to establish solar manufacturing bases on the continent. This week, Chinese investors announced major projects in North Africa, including a factory to produce 4 GW of solar cells and panels and 1 GWh of energy storage systems, as well as a solar glass plant in Algeria.

  • Since the start of the year, several solar cell and panel production facilities totalling more than 15 GW have been announced, most of them in Egypt, which benefits from a relatively low tariff of 10% and enjoys tariff-free access to the wider EU market.

  • However, African countries must be cautious. China will prioritise its own interests, and any deals should be negotiated carefully to ensure benefits in terms of job creation and the utilisation of locally produced products.

  • Our take: African countries need to invest in their own capabilities to avoid becoming dependent on China… Read more (2 min)

This week’s job board features 134 jobs in South Africa alone. Most of these are technical, project-oriented roles such as project managers, construction leads, engineers and operations managers. Energy firms appear to be hiring in tandem with the country's project pipelines and technology adoption, including energy storage and wind.

  • The rest of Africa is focused on off-grid solutions. PAYGO pioneer M-KOPA is hiring for 15 roles in four countries this week, while Sun King continues to hire in multiple regions across the continent from last week. 

  • At the same time, hiring for sales is particularly high this week. The trend shows that energy companies are looking to expand their client base and connect with consumers in different markets on the continent.

  • The job listings can be accessed here…(4 min)

The International Renewable Energy Agency runs the second project finance and project facilitation workshop in  Ethiopia 

Events

🗓️ Attend the Open Source Software for Energy Planning webinar (Sep 18)

🗓️ Register for a webinar on solar for C&I installations & large PV plants (Sep 18)

🗓️ Participate in a batteries and metals in global energy forum (Sep 29)

Various 

🟢 Nigeria acquires 1,653 solar vaccine refrigerators

💵 Financial close achieved for the Red Sands BESS project

💡 JA Solar debuts a solar panel tailored to withstand severe desert weather

🤝 BLUETTI teams up with UN-Habitat to broaden clean energy access 

Seen on LinkedIn 

Frank Aswani, CEO  at  AVPA, says, “With aid flows declining, Africa cannot afford to cling to outdated funding models. The path forward is clear: catalytic capital - investment that reduces risk, draws in private funding, and drives sustainable solutions to our continent’s greatest challenges.”