Africa Turns to Solar—Despite Lagging Infrastructure, Demand Soars
A solar surge promises energy independence, but fragile infrastructure risks leaving Africa dependent on outside powers.
Image: Installing solar panel, photo by Mulavu123 (Zimbabwe), CC BY-SA 4.0
Africa’s future may be powered by the sun. Across the continent, solar energy is spreading rapidly—from large-scale projects in Morocco and Egypt to household panels in Nigeria and Kenya. The drivers are clear: electricity demand is soaring, fueled by population growth, rapid urbanization, and an expanding middle class. Yet traditional power grids remain weak, plagued by chronic underinvestment, corruption, and rolling blackouts. Solar offers a pragmatic escape.
Foreign capital is pouring in. China has built some of Africa’s largest solar farms, while European firms see the continent as a testing ground for green technology. Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate project, one of the largest solar complexes in the world, aims not only to supply domestic power but also to export electricity across the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, decentralized solutions are proliferating. “Pay-as-you-go” solar kits—cheap panels financed through mobile payments—are transforming rural villages, allowing households to leapfrog directly into the energy era.
Still, obstacles are formidable. Energy storage remains inadequate, grid integration is patchy, and financing skews toward urban elites. Most critically, solar alone cannot meet the heavy industrial demand Africa needs for sustained economic growth. Without complementary investment in transmission lines and regulatory reform, the solar boom could stall.
And yet momentum is undeniable. The International Energy Agency forecasts that Africa could generate nearly one-fifth of its power from renewables by 2040. If realized, this would reshape global energy flows and position Africa as both a consumer and exporter of clean energy.
Our Take: If Africa’s solar surge succeeds, it could alter the global energy order. But without infrastructure and governance reform, the continent risks deepening dependency on foreign powers for its green transition.