Africa's solar boom partly escapes state control
Solar energy imports, mainly from China, are surging in Africa in 2026, with an estimated 17 gigawatts of additional capacity to be installed, a 45% increase from last year. This growth is largely decentralized, as three-quarters of the new energy is 'distributed'—rooftop panels feeding households directly without national grids. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Egypt are seeing particularly high growth rates.
Why it matters: This trend complicates state management of energy policy, a key concern for the theme of energy governance and state capacity.