Despite raising renewable energy capacity to 70 GW, Africa's share of the global total is declining

  • Africa’s renewable energy capacity more than doubled between 2015 (34.6 GW) and 2024 (70 GW).
  • Despite this growth, Africa’s global share fell from 1.87% in 2015 to 1.57% in 2024.
  • The decline in global share highlights that other regions are expanding renewable energy capacity much faster than Africa.
  • Between 2020 and 2024 alone, Africa added 18.5 GW of renewable energy capacity.
  • The sharpest annual increase occurred between 2022 and 2023, with capacity rising by 6.4 GW.
  • The percentage share of global renewable energy for Africa has consistently trended downward since 2018.
  • Africa’s renewable energy growth, while positive, is not yet keeping pace with the global energy transition.

Africa’s renewable energy sector has experienced steady growth in installed capacity over the last decade, increasing from 34.6 GW in 2015 to 70 GW by 2024. This shows a commitment to expanding clean energy infrastructure across the continent.

However, while the volume has more than doubled, Africa’s share of global renewable energy capacity has actually declined. This reveals a concerning trend: other regions are accelerating their investments and scaling up much faster than Africa.

Source:

IRENA

Period:

2015-2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
Nigeria’s renewable energy capacity held steady at 2.1–2.3 GW from 2015 to 2021, then surged from 2022 onward
  • Nigeria’s renewable energy capacity grew from 2.1 GW in 2015 to 3.7 GW in 2024.
  • This represents a 76% increase over the decade.
  • The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 5.7% between 2015 and 2024.
  • From 2015 to 2020, capacity was stagnant at around 2.2 GW.
  • The biggest growth year was 2022, with a sharp 34.9% increase.
  • Capacity stagnated in 2023 at 3.1 GW before climbing again in 2024.
  • Nigeria’s renewable growth remains modest compared to its population size and energy demand.
From 2015 to 2024, Morocco's renewable capacity grew from 2.4 GW to 4.0 GW, a 67% increase
  • Morocco’s renewable energy capacity grew from 2.4 GW in 2015 to 4.0 GW in 2024.
  • This represents a 67% increase over the decade.
  • The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 5.3% between 2015 and 2024.
  • Capacity was stagnant at 2.4 GW from 2015 to 2017 before growth resumed.
  • The biggest single-year increase happened in 2022, with a 13.7% jump.
  • Capacity additions slowed in 2023 (3.7 GW) and 2024 (4.0 GW).
From 2015 to 2024, South Africa's renewable energy capacity more than tripled, from 3.4 GW to 13.5 GW
  • South Africa’s renewable energy capacity grew from 3.4 GW in 2015 to 13.5 GW in 2024.
  • The country recorded a CAGR of 14.7% over the period.
  • The biggest annual growth was in 2016, when capacity surged by 49.2%.
  • Stagnation occurred in 2021 (0.8% growth) and 2023 (0.0%), reflecting project delays or policy issues.
  • The most recent increase was in 2024, when capacity rose to 13.5 GW, showing renewed momentum.
  • South Africa’s renewable energy capacity is more than three times Nigeria’s 3.7 GW in 2024.
From 2015 to 2024, Kenya's renewable capacity almost doubled, increasing from 1.6 GW to 3.1 GW
  • Kenya’s renewable energy capacity grew from 1.6 GW in 2015 to 3.1 GW in 2024.
  • This represents a near doubling of capacity in less than a decade.
  • The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 6.9% between 2015 and 2024.
  • The largest single-year jump came in 2016 with a 23.2% increase.
  • Kenya faced a setback in 2021 when capacity dipped by -8.6%.
  • A strong rebound occurred in 2022 (+15.5%), reaffirming momentum.
In 2024, Egypt’s renewable capacity reached 11.8 GW, up 5.6 GW from 2015
  • Egypt’s renewable capacity grew from 6.2 GW in 2015 to 11.8 GW in 2024.
  • This represents a net increase of 5.6 GW over the decade.
  • Egypt recorded a 6.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2015 to 2024.
  • Between 2015 and 2019, growth was very slow, with capacity almost flat.
  • The turning point came in 2020, when expansion began to pick up pace.
  • The largest jump occurred in 2022, with a 26.3% year-over-year increase.
  • By 2024, Egypt’s renewable capacity was more than three times Nigeria’s 2024 level of 3.7 GW.
Ethiopia’s renewable energy capacity grew at an 8.6% compound annual rate from 2015 to 2024
  • Ethiopia’s renewable capacity grew from 2.6 GW in 2015 to 6.0 GW in 2024.
  • The country achieved an 8.6% compound annual growth rate over this period.
  • Ethiopia’s capacity is higher than Nigeria’s 3.7 GW in 2024, despite Nigeria’s larger economy.
  • The biggest surge occurred in 2017, with a 64.9% year-over-year increase.
  • Growth was steady but modest between 2017 and 2021, averaging small annual increments.
  • A slight dip occurred in 2023, but Ethiopia recovered to 6.0 GW in 2024.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved