Crystal Dike
A year-long global campaign to accelerate renewable-energy investment across Africa has closed with commitments totalling €15.5bn, following a statement issued Sunday by the EU Delegation in Abuja, which confirmed that the European Union led the pledging effort.
The initiative—jointly led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa—aims to expand clean-energy generation, improve electricity access, and support sustainable economic growth across the continent.
The EU said it contributed over €15.1bn, including more than €10bn pledged by von der Leyen on behalf of Team Europe, alongside additional bilateral commitments from European financial institutions, member states, development finance institutions, and mobilised private investment.
“Today, the world has stepped up for Africa,” von der Leyen said. “With €15.5bn, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could gain access to electricity — real, life-changing power for families, businesses and entire communities.”
The Team Europe package includes new Global Gateway projects co-financed by Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as contributions from the European Investment Bank (€2.1bn) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€740m).
Further bilateral commitments include Italy (€2.4bn), Germany (over €2bn), the Netherlands including FMO (€250m), Portugal (€113m), Denmark (€81m), Sweden (€44m), Austria (€5m) and Ireland (€5m), amounting to more than €5bn. The EBRD also announced a separate bilateral investment of over €600m.
Beyond Europe, the African Development Bank pledged at least 20% of the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy, while Norway committed €53m for the 2026–2028 cycle.
Organisers say the pledges are expected to deliver 26.8 gigawatts of renewable-energy capacity and provide clean electricity to 17.5 million households currently without reliable power.
Of von der Leyen’s €10bn pledge, €3.1bn had been previously announced at major events, including the EU–South Africa Summit (March 2025), the Mattei Plan for Africa and Global Gateway event (June 2025), the Africa Climate Summit and UN General Assembly (September 2025), and the Global Gateway Forum (October 2025). The remaining €7bn was unveiled at the campaign’s final event in Johannesburg on 21 November 2025.
Launched in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign aligns with COP28 goals to triple global renewable-energy capacity and double energy-efficiency improvements.
Africa remains one of the regions most affected by energy deficits, with 600 million people lacking electricity access. Despite holding 60% of the world’s best solar resources, the continent receives just 2% of global energy investment, constrained by high capital costs and infrastructure challenges.
Through the Global Gateway Strategy and the Africa–Europe Green Energy Initiative, the EU reaffirmed its long-term commitment to expanding renewable generation, strengthening electricity transmission, and enhancing cross-border energy trade across Africa.