African Solar Crosses 20 GW Mark, 10 GW More Under Construction

Africa’s solar power capacity has crossed the 20 GWp mark across all segments, according to the latest half-year update from the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA). With more than 10 GWp currently under construction, this milestone is set to be surpassed again soon, signalling a continued acceleration in the continent’s solar growth despite a global slowdown.

The AFSIA database now tracks nearly 40,000 projects in various stages of development, including utility-scale installations, commercial and industrial (C&I) projects, mini-grids, and Solar Home Systems (SHS). Residential projects from select countries have also been added to the tally.

South and North Africa Lead Capacity Growth

South Africa remains the driving force of the African solar market, accounting for around half of all operational capacity. North African nations, such as Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, round out the top four, maintaining their dominance in installed capacity.

New installations in 2025 have largely emerged from Southern Africa, with Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia joining South Africa in significant capacity rollouts. 

Senegal has added 54 MWp so far this year, while Algeria is progressing with an ambitious 3 GW programme across 20 projects, several of which are expected to come online before the end of 2025.

Africa Defies Global Solar Slowdown

One interesting development that has come to the fore is that while other regions are facing declining solar growth, Africa’s momentum remains strong. 

SolarPower Europe projects a 1.4 percent drop globally in 2025, and the US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports a 7 percent year-on-year fall. Africa, on the other hand, continued its impressive growth - from a 22 percent increase in new installations in 2023, 2024 saw a 44 percent jump.

The growth is mostly attributed to utility-scale projects, which represent 70 percent of capacity under construction, a shift from the post-COVID period dominated by C&I installations. 

Furthermore, construction activity is more evenly distributed on the continent compared to its global peers, with South Africa hosting 28 percent of current builds, followed by Algeria, Egypt, Angola, Tunisia, and Zambia. Collectively, these six nations account for 75 percent of Africa’s ongoing solar development. South Africa is notably absent, even as that country also remains the only one to have tariffs on solar imports. 

Spotlight at REFA 2025

This rapid growth is expected to be a central topic at the Renewable Energy Forum Africa (REFA), scheduled for 3-4 December in Accra, AFSIA notes. Co-organised by AFSIA and SolarPower Europe with support from GET.invest, the event will bring together renewable energy professionals to discuss on several topics, including solar, energy storage, electric mobility, and green hydrogen.