By Jean-Pierre
African nations are rapidly scaling up their adoption of solar energy, fueled largely by a surge in solar panel imports from China, according to new data published by independent energy think tank Ember.
The report, released on August 26, reveals that Africa is undergoing a widespread solar boom. Imports of Chinese-manufactured solar panels to the continent rose by 60 percent over the past year, reaching 15,032 MW. Over the past two years, imports outside of South Africa nearly tripled—from 3,734 MW to 11,248 MW.
“The take-off of solar in Africa is a pivotal moment,” said Dave Jones, Chief Analyst at Ember. “This report is a call to action, urging stronger research, analysis, and reporting on solar’s rise—so the world’s cheapest electricity source can realize its vast potential to transform the African continent.”
Unlike the surge in 2023, which was largely driven by South Africa during the peak of its energy crisis, the current boom is taking place primarily across other African countries, the report notes.
According to the data, 20 African countries set new records for solar panel imports in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. In total, 25 countries imported at least 100 MW of solar panels—up from just 15 countries a year earlier.
These imports are already poised to make a significant impact on electricity generation. For example, the panels imported into Sierra Leone over the past year—if installed—could generate electricity equivalent to 61 percent of the country’s total reported electricity output in 2023. In 16 countries, the imported panels would add more than 5 percent to the current electricity generation capacity, the report finds.
Solar is also proving economically advantageous. According to Ember, in Nigeria the savings from reduced diesel usage could repay the cost of a solar panel within six months—or even sooner in other countries.
“Bottom-up energy transitions fueled by cheap solar are no longer a choice—they’re our future,” said Muhammad Mustafa Amjad, Program Director at Renewables First, an engineering consultancy specialising in renewable energy solutions.
Despite the progress, solar panel imports remain dwarfed by refined petroleum imports in most countries. In nine of the top ten solar panel importing nations, petroleum imports exceed solar imports by factors ranging from 30 to 107. However, the report stresses that Africa’s solar transformation is still in its early stages.
“Pakistan experienced an immense solar boom in the past two years, but Africa is not the next Pakistan—yet,” notes the report. Still, change can happen rapidly, and researchers say the first signs are now evident.
The growth in solar capacity appears to be driven more by distributed solar installations than large-scale utility projects. Ember emphasizes that while Chinese export data provides valuable insight, it only captures part of the picture. The organisation is calling for more localised and detailed research to better track the trajectory of solar energy adoption in Africa.
The continent remains reliant on imports due to limited domestic solar manufacturing capacity. Morocco recently doubled its output to 1 GW per year, with South Africa maintaining similar production levels. Smaller manufacturing lines also exist in Egypt and Nigeria.
Significant domestic production is on the horizon, however. In Egypt, three gigawatt-scale projects are expected to come online soon: EliTe Solar (3 GW starting in September 2025), Sunrev Solar (2 GW in 2026), and Masdar (4 GW, with a start date yet to be confirmed).
The increase in imports is not a temporary spike. While December 2024 saw record monthly imports, elevated volumes have been sustained throughout the year, indicating a broader and more stable shift toward solar energy across the continent.
