Africa's Solar Power Revolution is Finally Happening
Authors: David Ehl, Privilege Musvanhiri
Publication: Deutsche Welle (DW)
Date: November 24, 2025
Summary:
Chinese solar equipment is flooding African markets, partly driven by the US-China trade war, accelerating the continent's electrification.
Analysis by British renewable energy think tank Ember shows China shipped solar panels with 15 GW capacity to Africa over just 12 months—compared to an estimated 75 GW total installed since 2000.Solar photovoltaic costs dropped to $0.044 per kilowatt-hour after module prices fell 90% in 13 years.
Nigeria is expected to become Africa's top solar market as subsidized diesel prices end, while countries like Zambia, Rwanda, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire gain traction. Affordable lithium battery storage and net metering systems are multiplying profitability fivefold. According to 2023 World Bank figures, 565 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack electricity access.
Quotes:
"Everybody seems to be very bullish about solar in Africa." — John van Zuylen, CEO of Africa Solar Industry Association
"The cost of equipment went down when the trade war started. The Chinese were desperate to offload. I will say it's in the positive for us." — Fawen Nyakudya, Managing Director, PFN Solar Systems, Zimbabwe
"If you have a net metering system, then suddenly you can install panels for the equivalent of 100% of your consumption." — John van Zuylen
Comments
Post a Comment
If you are a member of XUNICEF, you can comment directly on a post. Or, send your comments to us at xunicef.news.views@gmail.com and we will publish them for you.