Africa is emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar energy markets following record installations in 2025, with policy reforms, falling technology costs and rising electricity demand expected to drive sustained expansion across the continent, according to industry analysis.
Africa installed a record 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaic solar capacity last year, representing a 54 percent increase compared with 2024, data from the Global Solar Council showed.
The sharp rise highlights growing momentum toward renewable energy adoption as governments seek solutions to chronic power shortages, rising fossil fuel costs and climate commitments.
At least eight African countries added more than 100 megawatts of solar capacity in 2025 — double the number recorded the previous year signalling a broadening shift toward solar deployment beyond traditionally dominant markets.
Analysts say the expansion reflects a convergence of supportive energy policies, improving financing conditions and declining costs for solar panels and battery storage systems.
More Read
South Africa remains the continent’s largest solar market, with installed capacity estimated at just above 10 GW after adding roughly 1.6 GW in 2025. The country’s long-term electricity roadmap targets an additional 10 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity by 2030, alongside major investments in battery storage and distributed rooftop systems.
Despite strong growth, grid congestion and underinvestment in transmission infrastructure continue to pose challenges for developers seeking to connect renewable projects to national networks.
North Africa is also rapidly expanding its solar footprint, with countries including Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia collectively adding more than 1.1 GW of new capacity in 2025.
More Read
The region benefits from some of the world’s highest solar radiation levels and vast areas of available land suitable for large-scale energy projects. Egypt currently leads North Africa’s development pipeline, with more than 5 GW of solar projects under construction and additional capacity in early planning stages.
Elsewhere, solar deployment accelerated in West and Southern Africa. Nigeria installed a record 803 MW last year, while Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast are advancing some of their largest solar projects to date.
Policy reforms are increasingly underpinning growth. Nigeria recently approved net-metering regulations allowing households and businesses to offset electricity bills using rooftop solar generation, while Kenya has introduced building codes requiring solar-ready infrastructure in new developments.
Several countries — including Ethiopia, Botswana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe — have also introduced market reforms and grid investments aimed at improving the commercial viability of renewable energy projects.
Africa’s rising demand for solar technology is coinciding with a shift in global supply dynamics. Major manufacturing markets, particularly in Europe, are nearing saturation after years of rapid renewable expansion, prompting exporters to seek new growth opportunities.
African nations imported about $2 billion worth of solar modules from China in 2025, a 36 percent annual increase, alongside $2.6 billion in battery energy storage systems, according to energy think tank Ember.
More Read
Falling equipment prices are expected to further accelerate adoption, particularly in countries offering tax incentives or favourable renewable energy tariffs.
Energy analysts say continued expansion could position Africa as a major driver of global solar growth by the end of the decade, helping improve electricity access while supporting climate transition goals.
If current investment and policy momentum is sustained, the continent could become a central pillar of the global clean energy transition by 2030, transforming power systems and reducing reliance on fossil fuels across rapidly growing economies.
