Solar and Renewables
Top stories
Benin to expand electricity access in underserved rural communities following the mobilisation of $2.9 million in financing for nine solar-powered mini-grids.
In 2025, solar energy overtook fintech and the services sector as Africa’s leading destination for investment. A new report shows that capital flowed more heavily into clean energy than in previous years, reflecting a clear shift in investor focus.
Revego Africa Energy Fund has secured R1 billion ($62 million) in new funding to expand its renewable energy investments in South Africa.
A new Eskom report has confirmed that South Africa’s renewable energy adoption is not gaining momentum as expected. After nearly three years of stalled green transition, the utility signals continued reliance on coal.
The Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank have expanded a programme to deploy solar-powered agricultural equipment across six African countries.
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has secured the contract to build a 7-megawatt floating solar power plant at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Nigeria.
Egypt has secured a $37 million loan from the OPEC Fund to support the development of the Abydos II solar photovoltaic project, a major renewable energy initiative in the country.
Renewable energy is gaining ground fast in Africa. A new report shows that falling costs, supportive government policies, and other incentives are making it a more appealing option than gas for generating power.
Nigeria plans to generate up to $3 billion annually from carbon trading after approving a framework for large scale emissions allowance sales.
Across Africa, Chinese firms are supplying cheap solar panels, building battery factories, and quietly reshaping the renewable energy landscape once led by the US and Europe.
British International Investment (BII) has committed $37 million to the Abydos II Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Egypt, strengthening one of Africa’s largest integrated renewable energy developments.
Afreximbank has provided a $64 million acquisition finance facility to Levene Energy Development Limited to support the purchase of a 30% equity stake in Axxela Limited.
South African nation Namibia has unveiled a $1.76 billion plan to expand renewable energy and attract private investment into its power sector.
Sun King, an off-grid solar energy company, has raised $40 million in equity financing from Lightrock to expand decentralised solar systems across Africa and Asia.
Zimbabwe plans to begin construction of its first floating solar power plant in 2026, as the country seeks to expand electricity generation and reduce exposure to climate-related disruptions affecting hydropower output.
Africa experience a surge in renewable adoption, especially with solar energy, in 2025. In this article, we highlight some of the top solar energy projects completed across the continent within the year.
Africa’s clean energy drive rose significantly in 2025. But next year signals a new wave of investment in renewable energy projects across the continent. Here are some to watch out for in 2026.
Northern Nigeria sits within one of the richest renewable energy belts in sub-Saharan Africa. Its vast arid landscape and abundant sunlight give the region a significant natural advantage. Yet in Nigeria’s energy transition story, the North remains a stark contradiction.
South Africa’s mining giant, Exxaro Resources, has signed binding agreements to acquire majority stakes in two fully operational renewable energy plants from Acciona Energía in a transaction valued at between 1.7 billion rand and 1.8 billion rand ($106 million).
Angola inaugurated its first solar‑plus‑storage minigrid, representing the start of a wider programme to expand reliable electricity to rural and underserved communities.