African energy ministers have signed a landmark agreement under the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework to accelerate the deployment of solar energy across the continent, marking a major step toward expanding access to clean and affordable power.
The agreement, formalised during the Seventh Meeting of the ISA Regional Committee for Africa in Accra, includes Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) with Ghana, Nigeria, and The Gambia, aligning national solar policies with development priorities.
The CPFs will support projects such as rooftop solar, community mini-grids, agricultural applications, and institutional capacity building.
Additionally, ministers endorsed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the African School of Regulation to strengthen policy frameworks, regulatory development, and knowledge-sharing, while also unlocking finance for renewable energy initiatives.
“This is about moving from ambition to action,” said ISA Director General Ashish Khanna. “Through new partnerships and innovative financing, we are working to ensure every African country can design and implement solar solutions that meet local needs.”
Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, who chaired the meeting, stressed that solar expansion offers both environmental and socio-economic benefits. “About 600 million people in Africa still lack electricity. Bridging this gap is our collective opportunity,” he said, pledging Ghana’s commitment to mobilise financing and private sector participation.
Other key announcements included the launch of the Africa Solar Facility, managed by Africa50, which aims to de-risk investments with $200 million in catalytic capital expected to leverage more than 20 times in private financing. Nigeria’s Sovereign Investment Authority pledged up to $150 million to the initiative, which is set to begin operations before the end of the year.
The meeting also spotlighted solar’s role in agriculture, highlighting projects in irrigation, cold storage, and rural electrification that could reduce Africa’s $400 billion annual food import bill while creating jobs and strengthening climate resilience.
International partners, including France and India, reaffirmed their support. France’s ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Beaussieux, said Paris remains committed to financing renewable energy in Africa, while India’s High Commissioner Manish Gupta reiterated New Delhi’s “One Sun, One World, One Grid” vision.
With nearly 60% of the world’s best solar resources, African leaders agreed that the continent has a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional energy systems and become a global leader in distributed renewable solutions.
