By Wallace Mawire
A year-long campaign to mobilise investments in renewable energy in Africa, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has secured €15.5 billion to power a clean future across the continent, as well as additional commitments in clean energy generation and access for households to electricity.
The European Union led the pledging effort, with more than €15.1 billion. This includes a pledge made by President von der Leyen, on behalf of Team Europe, of over €10 billion, as well as significant additional bilateral contributions by European financial institutions, Member States and their Development Finance Institutions, and estimated private investment mobilised.
The campaign, organised in collaboration with the international advocacy organization Global Citizen and with the policy support of the International Energy Agency, was aimed at driving public and private investment in supporting the clean energy transition in Africa, expand access to electricity – and promote Africa’s sustainable economic growth and decarbonised industrialisation. This also represents a step up to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean and sustainable energy globally.
President von der Leyen said: “Today, the world has stepped up for Africa. With €15.5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could gain access to electricity; real, life-changing power for families, for businesses, for entire communities. This investment is a surge of opportunity: thriving markets, new jobs, and reliable, clean energy that meets the needs of partners across the globe President Ramaphosa and I both look forward to a clean-energy future for the continent. A future led by Africa, with strong support from its friend and partner, Europe.”
The Team Europe package announced by President von der Leyen includes new Global Gateway projects co-financed with contributions from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain as well as the European Investment Bank (€2.1 billion) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€740 million). In addition, Italy (€2.4 billion), Germany (over €2 billion), the Netherlands including FMO (€250 million), Portugal (€113 million), Denmark (€81 million), Sweden (€44 million), Austria (€5 million), Ireland (€5 million) made bilateral contributions, worth over €5 billion, while the EBRD announced a separate bilateral investment of over €600 million.
In the context of the campaign, the African Development Bank pledged to allocate at least 20% of the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy. Norway pledged approximately €53 million through their contribution to the African Development Fund over 2026-2028.
The campaign also secured additional commitments that will generate 26.8 GW generated renewable energy and bring renewable electricity to 17.5 million households a that currently live without reliable access.
From the €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen on behalf of Team Europe, €3.1 billion were announced previously on the occasion of the EU-South Africa summit in March 2025, the Mattei Plan for Africa and Global Gateway event in June 2025, the Africa Climate Summit and the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025 and the Global Gateway Forum in October 2025, while €7 billion were announced by the President during the final pledging event in Johannesburg on 21 November.
In addition to the campaign pledges, a number of Team Europe actors have indicated their intention to increase investments in renewable energy by 2030. This amounts to another €4 billion.
The ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa’ campaign was launched in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Its aim was to drive new commitments on policy and finance from governments, financial institutions, the private sector and philanthropists. The campaign also created momentum more broadly towards the ambitious targets of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency worldwide, set at COP28.
Currently, 600 million people still lack access to electricity in Africa. With Africa’s population set to double by 2050, providing affordable, sustainable energy is crucial for both the continent’s development and global climate goals. Africa holds 60% of the world’s best solar resources, offering a significant opportunity for renewable energy. Despite this, the continent attracts only 2% of global energy investment, and faces challenges like high capital costs, limited investment, geographic barriers, and supply chain constraints.
Through the Global Gateway investment strategy, and in particular through the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), the European Union is working with African partners to seize this opportunity. The EU is delivering major investments in renewable energy generation, transmission and cross-border electricity trade, while building long-term, reliable partnerships to support Africa’s clean energy future.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said
Today, the world has stepped up for Africa. With €15.5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could gain access to electricity; real, life-changing power for families, for businesses, for entire communities. This investment is a surge of opportunity: thriving markets, new jobs, and reliable, clean energy that meets the needs of partners across the globe President Ramaphosa and I both look forward to a clean-energy future for the continent. A future led by Africa, with strong support from its friend and partner, Europe.
