Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
THE European union has mobilised €15,5 billion to accelerate Africa’s transition to clean energy, following a year-long campaign led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Announcing the final pledges in Johannesburg, President von der Leyen said the funding would significantly expand electricity access and renewable energy generation across the continent.
“Today, the world has stepped up for Africa and with €15,5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition,” she said.
“Millions more people could gain access to electricity; real, life-changing power for families, for businesses, for entire communities.
“This investment is a surge of opportunity: thriving markets, new jobs and reliable, clean energy that meets the needs of partners across the globe.
“President Ramaphosa and I both look forward to a clean-energy future for the continent. A future led by Africa, with strong support from its friend and partner, Europe.”
The EU contributed more than €15,1 billion of the total, including over €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen on behalf of Team Europe.
Additional bilateral commitments came from European countries and financial institutions, supported by mobilised private investment.
According to the European Commission, the campaign secured commitments expected to generate 26.8GW of new renewable energy capacity and deliver electricity to 17.5 million households with no reliable power supply.
The African Development Bank also pledged to allocate at least 20 percent of the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy, while Norway contributed approximately €53 million through its funding to the African Development Fund over 2026–2028.
The Team Europe package includes major Global Gateway projects financed jointly by Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain alongside contributions from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Several EU Member States made additional bilateral pledges, including Italy (€2,4 billion), Germany (over €2 billion), the Netherlands (€250 million), Portugal (€113 million), Denmark (€81 million), Sweden (€44 million), Austria (€5 million) and Ireland (€5 million).
The EBRD also announced a separate bilateral investment of more than €600 million.
Of the €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen, €3,1 billion had been announced earlier in 2025 during major international engagements while €7 billion was confirmed at the Johannesburg event on 21 November.
The Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign was launched in November 2024 to mobilise new policy support and financing for Africa’s energy transition.
The initiative also aims to help meet global goals of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 as agreed at COP28.
Africa remains the least electrified region in the world, with 600 million people lacking access to electricity.
Despite holding 60 percent of the world’s solar potential, the continent attracts just 2 percent of global energy investment, hindered by high capital costs, limited infrastructure and supply chain challenges.
Through its Global Gateway strategy and the Africa–Europe Green Energy Initiative, the EU said it was working with African governments to increase renewable energy generation, expand transmission networks and boost cross-border electricity trade to support long-term energy security on the continent.
