Spotlight on Africa’s Renewables Boom: Unlocking Africa's Clean Energy Potential Through IPPs, PPAs, and Investment Surge

Cape Town, South Africa – 3 February 2026 – Africa's renewable energy sector is experiencing unprecedented momentum, positioning the continent as a global leader in clean power growth. The 18th Africa Energy Indaba, the continent's premier energy event, will convene from 3–5 March 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). 

The Indaba serves as the essential platform for policymakers, investors, developers, and industry leaders to advance Africa's renewable energy transformation—focusing on solar, wind, storage, green hydrogen, and enabling mechanisms like Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), through a focused IPP & PPA Conference. 

 Africa's renewables surge is backed by compelling statistics demonstrating explosive growth and vast untapped potential:  Solar installations across Africa grew by 26% in 2025, reaching 23.4 GW of operational capacity from over 42,000 projects—the highest year-on-year regional growth globally.

Annual solar additions are projected to surge by more than 40% in 2025–2026, with forecasts indicating over 20 GW of new solar capacity added by 2028—effectively doubling the current footprint.

Between 2020 and 2025, Africa attracted approximately $34 billion in clean energy investments, with solar capturing over 52% and wind 25%; renewable procurement reached roughly 25 GW through governments and 11 GW via private agreements.

The continent holds immense resources: 482,000 GW of solar potential, 72,000–1,300 GW of wind capacity, and targets like 300 GW of renewables by 2030 under initiatives such as the Nairobi Declaration and Mission 300 (aiming to connect 300 million people to electricity).

Despite this potential, renewables currently represent only about 9% of installed capacity (expected to rise to 41% by 2050), with solar and wind imports surging 60% year-on-year to 15 GW in recent periods—signalling rapid market activation.

These figures highlight Africa's renewables boom as a pathway to energy security, industrial growth, job creation, and climate resilience—while addressing the continent's energy access gap and attracting the multi-billion-dollar investments needed to scale projects.

“Africa's renewable energy revolution is accelerating—from record solar growth to surging investments—yet unlocking its full potential requires bold partnerships and financing at scale,” said Liz Hart, Managing Director of the Africa Energy Indaba. “The 2026 IPP & PPA Conference is where these opportunities converge, turning ambition into actionable deals that power sustainable prosperity.”

The event builds on a legacy of facilitating high-impact outcomes, with past editions praised as the definitive gathering for Africa's energy future.

Join the renewables revolution.