The global energy transition has reached a pivotal inflection point. In 2025, renewable energy accounted for more than 92 per cent of new electricity generation capacity added worldwide, driven predominantly by solar and wind technologies, signalling a decisive shift in how the world produces power. Renewables now contribute over one-third of global electricity supply, while coal’s share continues to shrink. In the first half of 2025, renewables’ share of the global electricity mix rose to 34.3%, while coal’s share fell to 33.1%.
This transition is not just about mitigating climate risks; it represents a profound reconfiguration of energy economics and geopolitical influence. Against this backdrop, Africa’s clean energy ambitions are emerging from decades of promise into a moment of tangible acceleration, with 2026 poised as a potential breakthrough year for the continent’s green power revolution.
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The continent receives among the highest levels of solar irradiation in the world, offering a theoretical photovoltaic capacity measured in terawatts that could satisfy many times its electricity needs. Despite this, installed solar capacity remains relatively modest, with cumulative solar PV reaching approximately 19.2 gigawatts by the end of 2024. Many observers see this as the calm before a significant surge in capacity, as technological improvements, declining costs, and mounting policy support set the stage for rapid deployment.
Market outlooks indicate that annual solar installations across Africa are expected to grow by more than 40 per cent in 2025, marking a decisive shift from ambition to execution. By 2028, the continent could add more than 20 gigawatts of new solar capacity, effectively doubling its current footprint within a few years and reshaping its electricity mix.
For much of the last decade, a small group of countries dominated Africa’s clean energy narrative. South Africa led in project scale, while Egypt recorded substantial additions to its solar generation capacity in 2024. What is changing rapidly is the breadth of participation. A growing number of countries, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Zambia, are now planning utility-scale solar projects exceeding 100 megawatts each, a development that was rare just a few years ago.
Between 2014 and 2023, Africa’s total renewable energy capacity doubled, rising from roughly 32 gigawatts to more than 62 gigawatts. Hydropower continues to underpin electricity supply in countries such as Ethiopia and Zambia, but solar and wind are expanding at a faster pace due to shorter development timelines and falling technology costs. This diversification is reducing exposure to climate-related shocks and strengthening long-term energy resilience.
One of the most consequential, yet less visible, shifts in Africa’s clean energy transition is the rapid emergence of battery storage. Only a few years ago, annual battery deployments across the continent were marginal. By 2024, installed storage capacity had grown more than tenfold, reflecting declining battery prices and a growing recognition that storage is essential for grid stability.
Energy storage is enabling countries to integrate higher shares of intermittent renewables while reducing reliance on diesel generators and vulnerable hydropower systems. As storage costs continue to fall, its role in Africa’s power systems is expected to expand sharply through 2026 and beyond.
The momentum toward 2026 is underpinned by significant regulatory and institutional reforms. Across the continent, governments are updating electricity laws, liberalising power markets and strengthening governance frameworks to attract private capital. Reforms aimed at opening grid access to independent power producers and improving transmission infrastructure are gradually lowering barriers to entry for renewable developers.
Finance bills and energy policies in several African economies now include targeted incentives for clean energy manufacturing, construction and deployment. At the continental level, the African Union has adopted strategies that prioritise clean energy, climate resilience and industrial development, aligning national ambitions with broader development frameworks.
Despite strong fundamentals, Africa continues to attract a relatively small share of global clean energy investment. Between 2020 and 2025, the continent secured an estimated 34 billion dollars in clean power investments, with solar accounting for just over half of the total. While this represents progress, Africa’s share of global renewable investment remains below two per cent.
Closing this financing gap is critical. Scaling up deployment to meet energy access and climate goals will require blended finance structures, concessional funding, risk mitigation instruments and stronger public–private partnerships. How effectively these tools are deployed over the next two years will largely determine whether 2026 becomes a genuine turning point.
Africa’s clean energy transition is increasingly shaped by global technology and trade flows. In 2025, African countries recorded a surge in solar panel imports, driven largely by competitively priced equipment from Asia. This influx has accelerated project development timelines and reduced upfront costs, making solar power more accessible across diverse markets.
International partnerships are also expanding. Cooperation with European governments, multilateral development banks and climate finance institutions is supporting efforts to connect millions of people to electricity through renewable solutions. These global linkages reinforce Africa’s integration into the wider clean energy economy.
Energy Access and Economic Transformation
Beyond capacity figures and investment flows lies a profound human imperative. Approximately 600 million people across Africa still lack access to electricity. Renewable energy, particularly decentralised solar and mini-grid systems, offers the fastest and most cost-effective pathway to closing this gap.
Improved energy access is already delivering tangible socioeconomic benefits, enabling small businesses to operate longer hours, supporting healthcare delivery, improving educational outcomes and enhancing household incomes. The clean energy transition, therefore, is not only an environmental necessity but a catalyst for inclusive economic growth.
Looking Beyond 2026
As Africa approaches 2026, the convergence of favourable economics, policy reform, technological maturity and global engagement presents a rare opportunity. This period could mark the shift from incremental progress to structural transformation in the continent’s energy landscape.
The path ahead is not guaranteed. Financing constraints, grid limitations and policy execution risks remain. Yet the direction of travel is increasingly clear. If current momentum is sustained, 2026 may be remembered as the year Africa’s clean energy transition moved decisively from promise to power, reshaping its development trajectory and reinforcing its role in the global energy future.
