Africa Solar Capacity Seen Rising Sixfold After 2025 Record

Africa recorded its fastest solar growth on record in 2025, driven by a surge in utility-scale projects, and could add more than six times last year’s annual capacity by 2029, according to a new industry report.

The continent installed about 4.5 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2025, a 54% jump from the previous year, surpassing a record set in 2023 and exceeding medium-term forecasts, a report released by the Global Solar Council on Tuesday said. South Africa led installations with 1.6 gigawatts, followed by Nigeria at 803 megawatts and Egypt at 500 megawatts, the industry lobby group said,