Africa’s biggest economies are moving to build more solar manufacturing capacity at home as governments seek greater energy security, industrial growth and less reliance on Chinese imports.
Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria are expanding efforts to produce or assemble solar equipment locally. The push ranges from solar-panel assembly to more advanced manufacturing.
Yet analysts say China will remain the dominant force in the global solar industry for years. African manufacturers still rely heavily on Chinese components, particularly solar cells and other high-value parts.
Africa targets local solar manufacturing
South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco and Ethiopia are emerging as key markets for domestic solar production.
South Africa’s power utility Eskom plans to develop a 1-gigawatt solar manufacturing facility. The project aims to capture more value from the country’s rapidly growing solar market while adapting to changing electricity demand.
Nigeria has also expanded local solar assembly. Its manufacturing capacity has increased from about 120 megawatts to roughly 300 megawatts over the past two years.
South Africa remains Africa’s biggest importer of solar equipment, bringing in more than 3 gigawatts annually. Most of those imports come from China.
Industry analysts say South Africa’s large domestic market could make it one of the continent’s strongest candidates for wider local production.
Solar demand is accelerating
Africa’s growing solar market reflects a wider shift in the continent’s energy system.
Rooftop and distributed solar have expanded rapidly in South Africa. That growth has reduced pressure on the national grid but also created new challenges for traditional utilities.
Across Africa, demand for decentralized solar is also increasing as governments try to expand electricity access and reduce dependence on unreliable power systems.
GOGLA estimates that companies sold more than 10 million solar kits across Africa in 2025. Those systems served about 148 million people, representing a 10% increase from the previous year.
Much of the growth occurred in East and West Africa.
China remains central to Africa’s solar supply chain
Despite the push for local manufacturing, Africa still has almost no commercial-scale solar-cell production.
That leaves emerging African factories dependent on imported Chinese components.
Benjamin Clarke, policy director at the Africa Solar Industry Association, said many new factories primarily assemble imported Chinese parts rather than manufacture the high-value components themselves.
That means Africa can create assembly jobs and develop industrial expertise while remaining dependent on foreign technology for critical stages of the solar supply chain.
China’s role extends beyond exports. ODI Global estimates that Chinese renewable-energy investment and related construction projects in Africa reached $66 billion between 2010 and 2024.
Technology transfer remains a major challenge
Chinese investment could help African countries develop technical skills, manufacturing expertise and new jobs.
Olena Borodyna, a senior geopolitical risk adviser at ODI Global, said China’s expertise could provide an important opportunity for technology transfer as African countries expand renewable-energy manufacturing.
However, analysts say the continent still lacks the deeper transfer of knowledge needed to build fully integrated solar industries.
Hannah Pitt of the Rhodium Group said African countries are likely to remain heavily dependent on China for solar equipment.
Trade restrictions in the United States and Europe have also encouraged Chinese manufacturers to look for opportunities in markets such as Africa and Southeast Asia.
Ethiopia has become an important destination for Chinese investment. More than half of the announced investments there since 2018 have come from Chinese sources, alongside Japanese investment.
South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco have attracted more domestic investment and joint ventures involving local companies.
Chinese solar oversupply drives overseas expansion
China’s enormous solar manufacturing industry has benefited from years of government support and investment.
That expansion has also created a major oversupply of solar equipment. Falling prices have squeezed manufacturers and encouraged companies to seek markets overseas.
Major Chinese solar manufacturers including Longi and Jinko reported losses in the first three months of 2026.
Analysts say overseas expansion could become increasingly important for manufacturers trying to survive intense competition in the saturated Chinese market.
A report from the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab estimated that Chinese companies pledged up to $250 billion in overseas green-manufacturing projects between 2011 and the first half of last year.
Chinese solar exports also reached a record monthly level in March, according to Ember. The think tank said 50 countries recorded their highest-ever monthly imports of Chinese solar products during the period.
Africa faces a difficult balancing act
Africa’s solar manufacturing ambitions reflect more than a desire to produce panels locally. Governments also want to create jobs, strengthen domestic industries and improve energy security.
But building a complete solar supply chain requires substantial investment, advanced technology and skilled workers.
For now, African countries can expand assembly and manufacturing while continuing to rely on Chinese components.
That creates both an opportunity and a dilemma.
Chinese investment can accelerate Africa’s transition to renewable energy and help establish new industrial capacity. At the same time, continued dependence on Chinese technology could limit the continent’s ability to develop a fully independent solar industry.
China’s dominance is therefore unlikely to disappear soon. For Africa, the challenge will be turning growing solar demand and foreign investment into a stronger homegrown manufacturing base.
