Solar and Renewables
Top stories
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.
West African nation, Nigeria has, for the first time, imported more solar cells than finished solar panels, as local assembly of solar products continues to grow.
Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, has secured a €55.4 million ($64.71 million) loan from Afreximbank to accelerate the country’s solar-based rural electrification programme.
West African country Ghana has announced a US$3.4 billion renewable energy action and investment plan designed to accelerate its transition to clean power.
Mozambique will require more than $80 billion to implement its long-term energy transition strategy through 2050, as the government expands off-grid electrification efforts to reach millions still without reliable power.
Switzerland Candi Solar has secured $58.5 million in debt financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), that will support the expansion of its commercial and industrial solar operations in South Africa and India.
A decade ago, many low-income households depended on small “I better pass my neighbour” generators to keep the lights on. Today, the trend is rooftop solar. Still, the deeper electricity crisis remains unresolved.
South Africa is expected to record a rise in rooftop solar uptake as 82% of households without systems plan to install solar within the next 12 months, according to findings from South Africa’s Largest Solar Survey.
Nigeria’s solar energy adoption is a story of policy mismatch, fragmented markets and individualistic approach. None of these can address the lingering crisis of electricity deficit in Africa’s most populous nation.