Africa's imports of Chinese solar panels surged 60% in one year.

According to a report published on August 26 by Ember, a think tank dedicated to accelerating the global clean energy transition, African countries imported 15,032 megawatts (MW) of Chinese solar panels in the 12 months from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, compared to 9,379 MW in the first 12 months, representing a 60% increase.

The last significant increase in Africa's imports of "Made in China" solar panels was in 2023, when South Africa's energy crisis peaked. This time, however, the situation is different: the surge in imports observed over the past 12 months occurred mostly outside of South Africa. Twenty countries set new records for Chinese solar panel imports, and 25 countries imported at least 100 MW, compared to only 15 countries 12 months ago.

Chinese solar panel imports maintained extremely high growth rates in several countries. Between July 2024 and June 2025, Algeria's imports increased 33-fold year-on-year. Zambia's imports increased 8-fold, Botswana's 7-fold, Sudan's 6-fold, and Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Angola, and Ethiopia's imports also increased more than 3-fold. South Africa remains the largest importer, with imports reaching 3,784 MW. Nigeria, with an installed capacity of 1,721 MW, surpassed Egypt to become the second-largest importer of solar energy; Algeria ranked third with an installed capacity of 1,199 MW. Following closely were Morocco (915 MW), Egypt (854 MW), Tunisia (655 MW), Senegal (519 MW), and Zambia (424 MW).

Jinko Solar, the world's largest solar panel manufacturer by shipment volume, is expanding its African operations, focusing on the solar and energy storage markets.

A JinkoSolar vice president stated that over the past three years, JinkoSolar has supplied 5.2 GW of solar panels and 100 MWh of energy storage systems to 45 African countries, representing a 15% market share on the continent.

JinkoSolar has been expanding its presence in key markets such as Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa, markets with ambitious and decisive energy transition goals and relatively stable political and financial environments. Abundant land resources and a severe shortage of electricity make the African continent a region with enormous solar energy potential.