Keypoints:
- Chinese solar exports to Africa hit record highs
- South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria lead demand
- Falling costs drive continent-wide renewable push
AFRICA’S demand for solar energy is climbing sharply, powered by a wave of Chinese-made panels that are transforming rooftops and utility-scale plants across the continent, according to a new study by Oxford Economics.
The report, released on Monday, found that African countries imported a record 9,516 megawatts (MW) of Chinese solar panels in the first seven months of 2025, up from 6,625MW a year earlier. The figures underscore how solar power is becoming a vital solution for millions who remain off-grid or endure chronic blackouts.
Oxford Economics said Chinese exports provide a clear gauge of Africa’s growing solar capacity, given China’s dominance in global production.
South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria lead uptake
South Africa heads the surge, joined by Algeria and Nigeria, while several other nations have quadrupled imports year on year. Much of this growth is tied to large-scale projects spearheaded by Chinese firms.
In South Africa, PowerChina is building the 342MW De Aar Central Solar Power Plant, while in Algeria the company is working alongside China State Construction Engineering Corporation on desert-based projects, including a 220MW facility in Biskra and a 200MW plant in El M’Ghair.
Despite the progress, sub-Saharan Africa still records the world’s lowest electricity access rate, reaching only 53.3 percent of its population compared with a global average of 91.6 percent. Oxford Economics said the new solar capacity promises to narrow that gap.
Costs tumble as technology advances
Lyle Begbie, the study’s author, noted that the lifetime cost of solar power has plunged over the past decade, making it the cheapest form of electricity in history. With China continuing to advance technology and subsidise production, prices are expected to fall further.
China produced 80 percent of the world’s solar panels in 2024 and has cemented its position as a global renewable energy leader. Dave Jones, chief analyst at energy think tank Ember, reported that Africa’s imports from China rose 60 percent in the year to June, hitting 15,032MW. He highlighted a tripling of imports beyond South Africa, with 20 African countries setting records.
Some of the biggest relative gains were in smaller markets. Sierra Leone imported enough panels to generate power equal to 61 percent of its 2023 total, while Chad’s imports equalled nearly half of its annual output.
Meeting Africa’s urgent power needs
Former Liberian public works minister W. Gyude Moore said the trend reflects both falling costs and urgent demand. ‘Africa’s relative poverty has meant cost matters more in Africa than elsewhere,’ he explained. With many utilities insolvent and frequent load shedding, ‘panels are the best fit: modular and rapidly deployable technology to plug these deficits.’
While July’s total import value did not surpass the May 2023 peak triggered by South Africa’s power crisis, Oxford Economics recorded a continental record of $135.8 million in July 2025.
The findings show how China’s solar industry is reshaping Africa’s energy landscape, offering a low-cost, rapidly scalable path towards broader electrification.
