The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa

This report by Ember analyses Chinese customs data to demonstrate a significant increase in solar panel imports into Africa in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. The analysis suggests a structural trend toward increased solar adoption across the continent, potentially driven by distributed solar, which could significantly expand electricity supply and reduce reliance on imported diesel.

• Africa experienced a record surge in solar panel imports in the 12 months ending June 2025, with imports from China rising 60% to 15,032 MW compared to 9,379 MW in the previous year.
• The growth in solar imports is widespread across the continent; 20 countries set new import records in the 12 months to June 2025, and 25 countries imported at least 100 MW, an increase from 15 countries a year prior.
• The increase in imports is particularly pronounced outside of South Africa, where imports nearly tripled from 3,734 MW in the 12 months to June 2023 to 11,248 MW in the 12 months to June 2025.
• Imported solar panels have the potential to drastically increase electricity generation in several countries. For example, imports into Sierra Leone in the last 12 months could generate electricity equivalent to 61% of its 2023 reported generation, and for Chad, 49%.
• Solar panel imports are expected to reduce the need for refined petroleum imports. In Nigeria, the cost of a 420 Watt solar panel (approximately $60 USD) could be repaid by avoiding diesel costs within six months.
• While South Africa remains the largest importer, Nigeria has overtaken Egypt to become the second largest importer of solar panels, with Algeria rising to third place.
• Initial analysis suggests the current growth may be driven more by distributed solar than utility-scale projects, as satellite data shows few new utility projects outside South Africa in 2025, while solar panels are increasingly visible on buildings in African cities.

APA

Jones, D. (2025). The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/08/Ember-The-first-evidence-of-a-take-off-in-solar-in-Africa-Google-Docs.pdf

Chicago

Jones, Dave. The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa. Ember, 2025. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/08/Ember-The-first-evidence-of-a-take-off-in-solar-in-Africa-Google-Docs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jones |first1=Dave |title=The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa |publisher=Ember |date=26 August 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/08/Ember-The-first-evidence-of-a-take-off-in-solar-in-Africa-Google-Docs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jones2025first, author = {Jones, Dave}, title = {{The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = aug, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/08/Ember-The-first-evidence-of-a-take-off-in-solar-in-Africa-Google-Docs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }