The European Union has announced a sweeping €15.5 billion pledge to help propel Africa’s clean-energy transformation, marking one of the largest collective commitments ever made toward the continent’s sustainable power future. The major investment package—driven jointly by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa—forms part of a year-long global campaign focused on unlocking large-scale public and private capital for Africa’s energy transition.
The details of the pledge were outlined in a statement released by the European Commission, which confirmed that the EU led the fundraising effort with contributions amounting to more than €15.1 billion. This includes over €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen on behalf of Team Europe, alongside additional funds from European Member States, development finance institutions, and estimated private-sector mobilised investment.
The campaign, developed in partnership with Global Citizen and supported by policy expertise from the International Energy Agency (IEA), aims to expand renewable-energy capacity, ensure widespread access to electricity, and support Africa’s transition toward sustainable economic development and climate-friendly industrialisation.
President von der Leyen described the initiative as a “historic step forward” in the global shift away from fossil fuels.
She said:
“Today, the world has stepped up for Africa. With €15.5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could finally access electricity—real, life-changing power for families, communities, and businesses. This investment creates opportunity: stronger markets, new jobs, and clean, reliable energy for the future.”
A significant portion of the package is made up of Global Gateway projects funded collaboratively by the EU, European Investment Bank (€2.1 billion), and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€740 million), as well as major contributions from countries including Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Austria, and Ireland. Together, these bilateral commitments exceed €5 billion.
The African Development Bank has also pledged to allocate at least 20% of its African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy. Norway contributed approximately €53 million through its ADF support for 2026–2028.
The “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” initiative—launched in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro—was designed to build momentum toward the COP28 global goals of tripling renewable-energy capacity and doubling energy-efficiency improvements by 2030. Through this campaign, partners have secured commitments expected to generate 26.8 gigawatts of new renewable capacity and deliver clean electricity to 17.5 million African households currently without reliable power.
According to the Commission, €3.1 billion of the €10 billion EU pledge had been previously announced at major events including the EU–South Africa Summit, the Mattei Plan for Africa forum, the Africa Climate Summit, and the Global Gateway Forum. The remaining €7 billion was unveiled during the final pledging event in Johannesburg on November 21, 2025.
Beyond the immediate commitments, Team Europe institutions intend to scale their renewable-energy investments by an additional €4 billion by 2030, further strengthening long-term partnerships across the continent.
The statement also underscored Africa’s urgent need for accelerated energy investment. Around 600 million people in Africa still lack electricity, even though the continent possesses 60% of the world’s best solar resources. Despite this advantage, Africa attracts only about 2% of global energy investment, with progress hindered by high financing costs, infrastructure challenges, supply-chain issues, and geographic limitations.
Through the EU’s Global Gateway strategy—particularly its Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI)—the bloc is working with African governments to expand renewable generation, enhance electricity transmission systems, and deepen cross-border energy trade. The EU emphasised that the goal is to build long-term, sustainable partnerships that support Africa’s development ambitions while also contributing to global climate stability.
With this bold financial commitment, the EU and its partners hope to accelerate Africa’s clean-energy future, unlock inclusive economic growth, and ensure that millions of households and businesses benefit from accessible, affordable, and environmentally sustainable power.
