Africa’s Ascent in the Solar Sector

Across the continent, nations are not only importing record volumes of solar panels from China but also developing domestic production and assembly capabilities. This dual trend signals a deepening engagement with renewable energy solutions.

Record Import Growth

Data from Ember indicates that 50 African countries reached all-time highs in Chinese solar panel imports during March 2026, representing a collective increase of 10 GW—a surge of 176% compared to February. Key drivers include:

• Nigeria: +519%, importing over 1.2 GW for the first time
• Kenya: +207%, exceeding 1.4 GW imported in a single month
• Ethiopia: +391%, surpassing 1.1 GW

The Middle East was the only region not to see an increase, due to trade disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.

Local Manufacturing Emerges

Beyond imports, several African countries are establishing their own solar manufacturing hubs. This shift is supported by:

• Chinese exports of cells and wafers surpassing panels since October 2025
• Increasing panel assembly outside China
• Government initiatives to attract investment in local production

This vertical integration strengthens energy independence and creates new economic opportunities across the value chain.

Clean Energy Reaching Scale

As global fossil fuel prices remain volatile, clean technologies are proving resilient:

• Solar generation in 2025 replaced gas-fired electricity equivalent to all LNG exports through the Strait of Hormuz
• Electric vehicles displaced 1.8 million barrels per day of oil demand—13% of US crude production
• Renewables now meet all new global electricity demand, preventing further fossil fuel expansion

Regional Highlights

• Egypt: Solar panel imports more than doubled from 1.0 GW in 2024 to 2.3 GW in 2025\n* Algeria: Imports surged sixfold, reaching 2.1 GW compared to just 0.35 GW previously\n* Ethiopia: Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam added 8 TWh of hydroelectric capacity—60% of all new generation across Africa in 2025