• UAE commits $4.5 billion for 60 African clean projects

• Funding announced at AU Summit in Addis Ababa

• Nearly 666 million Africans lack electricity, World Bank says

The United Arab Emirates has committed $4.5 billion to finance more than 60 clean energy projects across Africa, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, said. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit held on Feb. 14-15, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The funding falls under the “Africa Green Investment Initiative,” which UAE authorities say aims to accelerate the rollout of energy projects across the continent. The projects include solar, wind, geothermal, battery storage and green hydrogen. The program is intended to expand electricity generation capacity in several African countries.

In the same address, the minister referred to a separate $10 billion program led by Masdar, the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company. He also cited the “Etihad 7” initiative, which aims to provide electricity access to up to 100 million people by 2035. He said the UAE’s cumulative investments in Africa exceeded $110 billion between 2019 and 2023, with more than $70 billion directed to the energy sector, particularly renewables.

Rising investments, but still below needs

Despite growth in energy installations, a large share of Africa’s population still lacks access to electricity. According to the World Bank’s Energy Access Report 2025, published in June, nearly 666 million Africans remained without electricity.

The gap is most pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, where electrification spending remains limited despite rising demand. In a study published in October 2025, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said less than $2.5 billion was mobilized for new electricity connections in the region in 2023. The agency said that level of funding remains insufficient to put the region on track for universal access.

The same study estimates that nearly $150 billion in cumulative investment will be required by 2035 to achieve universal electricity access in Africa, equivalent to about $15 billion per year.

Investment data show a continued imbalance in favor of fossil fuels. The IEA’s World Energy Investment 2024 report said most of Africa’s energy spending that year was still directed toward fossil fuels, while investment in clean technologies remained limited.

The Renewable Energy Investment Case for Africa, published in 2025 by Africa Climate Insights and the Enzi Ijayo Africa Initiative, said the continent accounted for about 2% of global clean energy investment in 2024. The report said that share remains low given Africa’s renewable resource potential and its electricity access targets.

Despite these constraints, some renewable segments are expanding. The Africa Market Outlook for Solar PV 2025-2028, published in 2025 by the Global Solar Council, reported a 42% increase in the photovoltaic market over the year.

Abdel-Latif Boureima