African nations have sharply increased their purchases of solar panels from China, with imports rising 60% in the year to June 2025, according to data from climate think tank Ember.
China, which manufactured around 80% of the world’s solar panels in 2024, continues to dominate the global supply chain.
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Over the past year, the number of African countries importing at least 100 megawatts of solar capacity as cited by Business Insider Africa increased from 15 to 25.
Shipments reached 15 gigawatts of capacity, up from 9.4 gigawatts the previous year.
South Africa remained the continent’s largest buyer, though demand has slowed following improvements in electricity supply from state utility Eskom.
Meanwhile, Nigeria overtook Egypt as the second-largest importer, adding 1,721 megawatts, with Algeria ranking third.
In smaller markets, the surge is even more striking.
In Sierra Leone, solar imports in the past 12 months could generate power equivalent to 61% of the nation’s total 2023 electricity output, Ember reported.
Across 16 African countries, the imports could add more than 5% to existing generation capacity.
The economic benefits are also significant. Ember highlighted that in Nigeria, avoiding diesel imports could offset the cost of solar panels within six months, with even faster payback periods in other nations.
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Despite this growth, petroleum imports still vastly outweigh solar purchases, with refined fuel imports valued at 30 to 107 times more than solar panels in nine of the top 10 importing nations.
Analysts suggest this shift reflects Africa’s growing embrace of renewable energy as governments look to expand access to power, cut reliance on costly fuel imports, and align with global energy transition trends
Image Credit: Africa Business Communities
