• Thirteen African countries now generate more than 10% of their electricity from solar energy, led by the Central African Republic.

• Africa added 2.4 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2025, bringing total installed capacity to 23.4 gigawatts, according to AFSIA.

• Data from Ember suggest actual installed solar capacity in Africa could reach 63.9 gigawatts, far above current estimates.

Solar power now represents more than 10% of the electricity mix in 13 African countries, according to a report published on Jan. 14 by the African Solar Industry Association.

Titled Africa Solar Outlook 2026, the report said the Central African Republic leads the continent, with solar accounting for 37.7% of its electricity mix. Chad follows with 36.7%, while Somalia reaches 32.4%. Sierra Leone posts 18.1%, Namibia 17.7%, Mauritania 16.7%, Comoros 16.5%, South Sudan 13.3%, Burkina Faso 11.8% and Malawi 11%. South Africa, Eritrea and Cabo Verde also generate at least 10% of their electricity from solar energy.

In total, 23 African countries now produce 5% or more of their electricity consumption from solar power. Despite steady progress in recent years, solar energy still represents a limited share of the power mix in most African countries, even as the continent holds about 60% of global photovoltaic resources.

The report also said Africa installed 2.4 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2025, marking a 35% decline from 2024, when additions reached 3.7 gigawatts. These additions lifted total installed solar capacity across the continent to 23.4 gigawatts. AFSIA said its figures cover utility-scale solar projects supplying national utilities, installations serving commercial and industrial consumers, mini-grid projects and solar home systems.

The Kigali-based association acknowledged that its estimates do not reflect the full size of Africa’s solar sector, as its long-standing methodology fails to capture many projects, particularly smaller installations.

Installed capacity likely underestimated

AFSIA also pointed to a new and valuable data source released this year by energy think tank Ember, which tracks Chinese solar panel exports since 2017. China controls about 90% of the global solar equipment market, making its export data a strong proxy for regional solar deployment.

Ember’s data show that China shipped 58.1 gigawatts of solar panels to African countries between 2017 and 2025. By extrapolating exports before 2017, for which no official data exist, AFSIA added 10% in additional capacity, lifting Africa’s probable installed solar capacity to 63.9 gigawatts.

This adjustment suggests solar energy could be 2.75 times more widespread in Africa than previously estimated, including by AFSIA itself. When Ember’s data are included, Africa’s share of global installed solar capacity rises from about 0.7% to roughly 2.6%.

The report also said rapid expansion of battery energy storage systems will reshape Africa’s solar landscape in coming years. AFSIA expects falling storage costs and ongoing technological advances to reduce intermittency and enable round-the-clock solar power supply.

Recent studies show the cost of converting daytime solar energy into continuous electricity through storage solutions now stands at about $33 per megawatt-hour. When combined with generation costs, solar power can deliver 24-hour electricity at around $76 per megawatt-hour. This level already competes with, and often undercuts, fossil fuel-based generation, particularly in countries that rely on imported fuels. As a result, solar projects integrated with energy storage already operate across Africa in applications previously considered unviable, including industrial supply and large-scale power plants.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum