African demand for Chinese solar panels has risen sharply, with imports jumping 60% in the 12 months through June, according to climate think tank Ember.
China, which produced 80% of the world’s solar panels in 2024, remains the dominant global exporter, and its shipments to Africa climbed to 15 gigawatts of capacity over the period, up from 9.4 gigawatts a year earlier.
Twenty-five African countries imported at least 100 megawatts of solar capacity, compared with 15 nations a year before, with 20 countries recording record inflows of solar technology. South Africa retained its position as the continent’s largest buyer.
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Nigeria overtook Egypt to become the second-largest market, importing 1,721 megawatts in the past year, while Algeria ranked third.
Imports across the continent excluding South Africa have tripled in the last two years.
South African demand, which had surged during 2023 amid widespread blackouts, slowed after state-owned utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. stabilized electricity supply.
The impact of these imports is significant. Ember noted that in Sierra Leone, solar panels brought in over the past 12 months could generate electricity equal to 61% of the country’s total reported output in 2023 if fully installed.
Across 16 nations, they could add more than 5% to total power generation.
The report also highlighted that solar technology is increasingly displacing fuel imports, according to Business Insider.
In Nigeria, the savings from reduced diesel use can offset the cost of a solar panel within six months, with payback times even shorter in other countries.
Despite the rapid growth, solar technology remains a small fraction of Africa’s energy trade compared to petroleum.
In nine of the top ten solar panel importers, the value of refined petroleum imports exceeded that of solar panels by a factor ranging from 30 to 107.
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Image Credit: Bloomberg
