Africa Is Buying a Record Number of Chinese Solar Panels

African nations are importing record amounts of Chinese solar panels, with 1.57 Gigawatts purchased in May 2025. Unlike before, 22 smaller African countries have doubled their imports, with Algeria seeing a 6,300% increase. This trend, mirrored in Pakistan and South Africa, is driven by economics—Chinese panels are now the cheapest energy option. Adoption occurs through large utility projects in North Africa and rooftop installations in rural Sub-Saharan areas, bringing electricity to previously unconnected regions without government investment.