By Wallace Mawire
The African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) is delighted to announce the winners of the AFSIA Awards 2025, held in partnership with REFA 2025 and with the support of Dutch & Co.
The Awards ceremony took place on December 3 in Accra, bringing together leaders and innovators from across the continent to celebrate outstanding achievements in the African solar and storage industry. This annual event recognizes the most innovative, impactful, and transformative contributions driving Africa’s clean energy transition forward, and relies on a fully independent selection process that combines the expertise of a high-level jury of industry professionals with the participation of a public vote, ensuring both credibility and broad industry engagement.
In the category “Utility-Scale Solar Project of the Year,” AMEA Power was honored for its groundbreaking 300 MWh battery storage expansion at the Abydos project in Egypt, which will become the country’s first utility-scale solar-plus-storage facility and significantly enhance grid stability and renewable energy integration.
The award for “SHS Company of the Year” went to Izili (formerly Baobab+), whose pioneering “PAYGo 2.0” approach is redefining impact and customer experience in Africa’s solar home system sector.
In the category “Storage Project of the Year,” Africa REN secured top recognition for the Walo project in Senegal, a 16 MWp solar plant paired with a 10 MW / 20 MWh storage system that demonstrates excellence in hybrid infrastructure deployment.
The award for “C&I Project of the Year” was presented to KYA-Energy Group for its large-scale solarization of 314 healthcare centers across Togo, a milestone that is significantly advancing reliable energy access for essential services.
In the “Mini-Grid Project of the Year” category, the jury and public voting declared a tie, honoring both Husk Power and TramaTecno Ambiental for their exceptional achievements. Husk Power was celebrated for commissioning an impressive 53 new mini-grids within a single year in Nigeria’s Nasarawa and Plateau States, averaging 4.4 deployments per month and accelerating rural electrification. TramaTecno Ambiental was equally recognized for bringing clean, reliable power to three island villages on the Volta River in Ghana, demonstrating outstanding impact in remote and underserved communities.
The “Innovation of the Year” award went to Instollar, whose launch of Africa’s first solar freelance platform, mobilizing more than 700 freelance solar installers across Nigeria, is bridging a critical talent and last-mile delivery gap in the industry.
The distinction for “Visual of the Year” was awarded to AM Power, recognizing outstanding creativity and communication through visual media.
In the category “Advisor of the Year,” Studio Santi was recognized for its Owner’s Engineer role in the construction of the 15 MWp Twiga Cement solar plant in a disused quarry in Tanzania, demonstrating excellence in technical leadership and project supervision.
The “Solar Technology Provider of the Year” award was presented to Infibranches Technologies for its Fazipay platform and Single Point of Integration (SPOI) APIs, which streamline demand generation, distribution, and payment collection between solar providers, financial institutions, and last-mile customers.
The award for “Storage Technology Provider of the Year” went to Freedom Won, which has built Africa’s broadest and most scalable LiFePO₄ battery portfolio and now operates South Africa’s largest battery manufacturing plant with the capacity to produce up to 3.5 GWh annually.
In the “Deal or Financing Program of the Year” category, Acumen was recognized for successfully closing the Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) Program, securing more than $245 million across two investment vehicles dedicated to expanding energy access in underserved African markets.
The prestigious award for “African Company of the Year” was presented to CrossBoundary, whose development of a 223 MWp / 526 MWh baseload solar and BESS facility for the Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex in the DRC marks the largest captive C&I PPA ever signed in Africa and the first baseload solar-plus-storage system of its kind on the continent.
The distinction for “Public Administration of the Year” went to REA Nigeria, which has dramatically improved reliable clean energy access through the Energizing Education Programme (EEP) Phase II by electrifying seven federal universities and two teaching hospitals across all six geopolitical zones.
Finally, the Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Dr. Laura Stachel, whose tireless commitment to integrating solar energy into African healthcare systems has transformed service delivery in rural clinics. Her pioneering Solar Suitcase has become a globally recognized model for scalable, cost-effective humanitarian innovation.
Held alongside REFA 2025 and supported by Dutch & Co, this year’s ceremony once again highlights the depth of talent, innovation, and ambition driving Africa’s solar and storage transformation. AFSIA congratulates all winners and applauds their exceptional contributions to advancing sustainable energy across the continent.
