Africa poised to install record 17 GW of solar power in 2026

New analysis by Ember and the African Tech Futures Lab indicates that Africa is set to install 17 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2026, representing a 45% rise from the prior year and the third year in a row of record installations. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a study emphasizing that off-grid renewable solutions, particularly solar mini-grids, could become pivotal for climate adaptation and closing critical infrastructure gaps in Francophone West Africa.

Nations such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal have rural electrification rates ranging between 2% and 10%, underscoring the need for expanded access. Nearly 600 million people across the continent still lack electricity, a shortfall that many governments are addressing by investing in solar projects, exemplified by Nigeria's recent $200 million deal to deploy solar mini-grids in rural areas.