⚡ Quick Read
According to recent reports by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africa holds immense potential in the clean energy manufacturing sector. Despite supplying around 75% of global manganese, 70% of cobalt, and nearly 20% of copper, the continent currently accounts for less than 1% of the value generated from clean energy technology manufacturing. Africa imports 94% of its installed solar panels from China, with imports costing $2.4 billion in the 12 months leading up to June, underscoring the heavy reliance on foreign supply chains.
Africa’s clean energy manufacturing ambitions extend far beyond solar modules into battery materials, electric vehicles, green steel, and low-carbon chemicals. The IEA identifies mineral processing, low-emission industrial materials, and clean energy equipment manufacturing as key growth areas. East African nations could produce spherical graphite for battery anodes, while South Africa and Gabon expand high-purity manganese sulphate production. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia hold resources for processed cobalt and copper. Under the IEA’s high-potential scenario, the market value of Africa’s mineral sector could reach $120 billion by 2040, nearly 75% higher than current levels. Furthermore, low-emission iron exports could fetch over four times the value of standard iron ore.
For international EPC contractors and renewable developers, the evolving landscape of clean energy manufacturing in developing regions signals a potential decentralization of component sourcing. Parallels can be drawn from India’s solar manufacturing expansion, where government intervention, domestic demand, and production-linked incentives (PLI) helped scale solar module manufacturing capacity from 2.3 GW in 2014 to approximately 172 GW by March 2026. India’s strategy tied financial incentives to high-efficiency modules and introduced domestic value addition requirements.
For African economies to successfully capture value from their mineral resources and renewable energy potential, targeted policy frameworks must be established. Lessons from the broader global renewable energy sector, including India’s trajectory, indicate that manufacturing incentives must be paired with robust investments in mineral processing, component production, technology development, and integrated regional supply chains.
Aditya Pathre is the Founder of MVApulse and covers India’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, renewable energy policy and competitive bidding. His reporting focuses on project developments, market trends, government policies and energy transition across India.
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