Africa is expected to install a record 17 GW of solar power in 2026, which would be the continent’s third consecutive year of record solar installations and a 45% year-over-year growth. based on a study conducted by African Tech Futures Lab and the international energy research organization Ember. According to the report, 36 of Africa’s 54 countries are predicted to install record amounts of solar capacity in 2026, indicating that solar growth is expanding beyond traditional markets. In 19 countries, solar installations are expected to grow by above 100% annually. Zimbabwe is predicted to increase by 282%, Egypt by 176%, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by 544%.
Previously responsible for over half of Africa’s solar imports, South Africa is predicted to account for fewer than one-fifth of all installations in 2026, underscoring the growing geographic dispersion of solar deployment around the continent. Growth in Solar Power Could Address Growing Demand for Electricity. An estimated 23 TWh of power might be produced yearly by the 17 GW of additional solar capacity that is anticipated to be completed in 2026. This would be sufficient to meet Africa’s average annual growth in electricity demand over the previous ten years. Growth in solar power is predicted to surpass the historical rate of growth in electricity demand in more than half of Africa’s 54 countries.
In 2026, it is anticipated that ten countries would generate more than 10% extra electricity annually thanks to increased solar capacity. At 97%, Sierra Leone is predicted to see the biggest growth, followed by Togo at 24%, Somalia and Djibouti at 21%, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Comoros at 14%. Other nations on the list are Lesotho (10%), Chad (11%), and Namibia and Liberia (12% each). Africa’s Potential for Solar Production to Quadruple With the opening of new manufacturing facilities in Egypt and Tanzania, Africa’s solar panel production capacity is also anticipated to triple to over 3.5 GW by 2026. However, it is anticipated that the United States will receive the majority of this manufacturing production. Africa’s persistent reliance on Chinese solar equipment is shown by the fact that 94% of the solar panels deployed there are still imported from China. Distributed Solar Continues to Be Underreported. According to the analysis, distributed solar accounted for almost 75% of the additional solar capacity added throughout Africa between 2023 and 2025. This percentage is mostly missing from official national and international figures.
Data on solar deployment across the continent is still scarce. Currently, only Tanzania, South Africa, and Tunisia release data on solar capacity on a quarterly or more regular basis. Of the 54 countries in Africa, only 36 have official national solar capacity data available, and just 14 have published data for 2025. According to Ember and African Tech Futures Lab, actual solar installations are probably underestimated in the current data. There are currently advanced solar registration and permitting systems in at least 15 African nations, some of which are already in use. The organisations stated that in order for governments, grid operators, and regulators to successfully prepare for the fast growing solar business on the continent, more robust data gathering and reporting systems will be necessary. Improved data gathering will help governments better understand and plan for the speed of solar growth, according to Dave Jones, Chief Analyst at Ember, while declining solar panel costs and more alluring economics are pushing adoption across African nations.
