Africa’s hunger for solar energy is rising fast, thanks to a flood of affordable Chinese-made panels lighting up rooftops and large power plants across the continent. A fresh Oxford Economics report shows that African countries imported a record 9,516 megawatts (MW) of Chinese solar panels in the first seven months of 2025, up sharply from 6,625 MW during the same period last year. This surge highlights how solar power is quickly becoming a lifeline for millions still off-grid or battling constant blackouts.
China’s dominance in global solar production makes its export numbers a solid indicator of Africa’s growing capacity. South Africa leads the charge, followed closely by Algeria and Nigeria, while several other countries have quadrupled their imports within a year. Massive utility projects spearheaded by Chinese firms are driving much of the growth.
In South Africa, PowerChina is constructing the 342 MW De Aar Central Solar Power Plant. Algeria is also stepping up, with desert projects such as a 220 MW facility in Biskra and a 200 MW plant in El M’Ghair being built in partnership with China State Construction Engineering Corporation. Despite these gains, sub-Saharan Africa still has the world’s lowest electricity access rate at just 53.3 percent, far behind the global average of 91.6 percent—but the new solar capacity is expected to narrow that gap.
The cost of solar keeps tumbling as technology improves. Report author Lyle Begbie notes that solar power is now the cheapest electricity source in history, and with China subsidising production, prices should fall even further. China produced 80 percent of the world’s solar panels in 2024 and remains the top player in renewable energy. Imports from China jumped 60 percent year-on-year to 15,032 MW by June 2025, with 20 African nations setting new records.
Smaller markets are also seeing dramatic changes. Sierra Leone imported enough panels to generate power equal to 61 percent of its 2023 total, while Chad brought in panels covering nearly half of its annual output. Former Liberian public works minister W. Gyude Moore says falling costs and urgent demand are the key drivers. With many utilities struggling and frequent load-shedding, he calls solar panels the best fit—modular, quick to deploy, and ideal for plugging Africa’s power deficits.
Even though July’s import value didn’t beat the May 2023 peak sparked by South Africa’s power crisis, Oxford Economics still recorded a new continental high of $135.8 million for July 2025. All signs show that China’s solar industry is reshaping Africa’s energy future, offering a low-cost, rapidly scalable path to wider electrification and economic growth.
