Chinese Solar Exports to Africa Surge 60% as Beijing Solidifies Market Grip

2025-12-14 global

Johannesburg, Saturday, 13 December 2025.
Driven by a dramatic 60% surge in solar panel imports, China is rapidly cementing its dominance over Africa’s renewable energy infrastructure. Over the past year, African nations imported more than 15 gigawatts of Chinese solar capacity, capitalizing on a 70% drop in module prices since 2022. This influx represents a strategic geopolitical shift; with over $180 billion pledged for overseas clean energy projects since 2023, Beijing is effectively outmaneuvering Western competitors in the Global South. As nations like Chad and South Africa leverage affordable Chinese technology to combat energy poverty, the economic gap between China and Western investors widens. This aggressive expansion, supported by China’s control of over 80% of the global solar supply chain, signals a long-term transformation in energy alliances, positioning Beijing as the primary architect of Africa’s electrification and future economic development.

The Economics of Dominance

The economic engine driving this 60% import surge is a precipitous drop in technology costs that has fundamentally altered the energy calculus for developing nations. Between 2022 and mid-2025, solar module prices plummeted by over 70%, bottoming out at around $0.08 per watt for spot purchases in China [5]. Consequently, as of 2024, 91% of new wind and solar projects were cheaper than the most affordable fossil fuel alternatives [5]. China’s ability to drive these costs down stems from its overwhelming command of the supply chain, where it manufactures over 80% of the world’s solar modules and battery cells [5]. This scale allowed Chinese firms to install nearly 100 gigawatts of capacity domestically in May 2025 alone [3], a production velocity that has created a surplus now flowing into African markets at prices Western competitors cannot match.

Bridging the Electrification Gap

For the approximately 700 million people in Africa who still lack reliable electricity, this influx of affordable technology offers a tangible lifeline [3]. The impact is most visible in nations like Chad, which, as of December 12, 2024, struggled with an electrification rate of just 6.4% [3]. By leveraging Chinese solar panels, the Chadian government aims to aggressively raise this figure to 30% by 2027 and 53% by 2030 [3]. Across the broader Sub-Saharan region, the footprint of this partnership is expanding; China has already installed over 23 gigawatts of electricity capacity across 27 countries [3]. In North Africa, Morocco has established itself as a regional leader with over 2 gigawatts of solar capacity [4], demonstrating the scalability of these partnerships across diverse economic landscapes.

Strategic Capital Deployment

Beyond hardware exports, Beijing is entrenching its position through direct capital investment. Since early 2023, Chinese companies have pledged over $180 billion for clean energy projects outside China, with more than 75% of these initiatives targeted at developing countries [7]. This financial commitment is coupled with a strategic pivot toward localization; in 2024, China launched a three-year plan specifically designed to fund local supply chains in Africa [5]. This moves the relationship beyond simple transaction models, as African governments increasingly explore building local manufacturing capacity to create jobs and reduce import reliance [1]. This integrated approach contrasts sharply with Western engagement, which often lacks the same coordination between state policy, financing, and industrial deployment.

The New Energy Reality

The integration of Chinese technology into Africa’s grid is now so deep that it is reshaping global energy paradigms. As of today, December 13, 2025, the pace of deployment shows no signs of slowing, evidenced by the installation of new solar hubs in Ayensuano just this week [6]. As China’s clean energy exports effectively reduce the carbon emissions of importing countries—cutting fossil fuel demand by an estimated 1% in 2024 [5]—the continent is leapfrogging traditional energy development stages. With Western competitors facing a widening gap in both pricing and deployed infrastructure, Beijing’s role has evolved from a mere supplier to the central partner in Africa’s energy transition.

Sources

Renewable Energy International Trade