Africa receives more sunlight than any continent on Earth, yet generates less than 5% of its electricity from solar. China is moving fast to change that—and to find new markets after being squeezed out by tariffs in the US and Europe. Chinese manufacturers shipped 18.8 gigawatts of solar panels to Africa last year, a 48% jump, making the continent their fastest-growing export destination. While China’s affordable panels are helping close the electrification gap for the 600 million Africans without power, they are also creating a massive trade imbalance. With China’s trade surplus with Africa hitting $102 billion in 2025, leaders are now debating whether cheap energy is worth the risk of becoming a “dumping ground” for foreign industry. Meanwhile, some African countries have begun exploring local manufacturing to capture more value.
The Wire China
