What Scaling Up Renewables in Africa aims to deliver
Scaling Up Renewables in Africa, the global campaign launched by the European Commission, South Africa and Global Citizen, has already mobilised USD 17.8 billion, EUR 15.5 billion, to speed up renewable energy deployment and expand access to electricity across Africa.
The entry of Octopus Energy Generation, the investment arm of Octopus Energy, as a full campaign member strengthens the initiative with a commitment that could unlock up to USD 450 million in new clean energy investments. The stated goal is to bring electricity to around 1.1 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Overall, the campaign targets the addition of 26.8 GW of new renewable capacity and aims to reach 17.5 million households that currently lack reliable access to power.
How much investment has already been mobilised
Today, Scaling Up Renewables in Africa represents the largest coordinated effort to scale renewables and strengthen grid infrastructure on the continent. Announced alongside major international summits, the initiative has secured USD 17.8 billion in public and private commitments, with strong European leadership.
The European Union has led the pledging process, contributing more than €15.1 billion and linking the campaign to its Global Gateway strategy. Global Gateway foresees up to €150 billion in investments for Africa, focused on the green transition, digital development and skills.
These new commitments are designed to close a structural gap. Despite holding around 60% of the world’s best solar resources, Africa attracts only about 3% of global energy investment, a figure that remains particularly low across sub-Saharan Africa.
Octopus Energy’s role in Scaling Up Renewables in Africa
Octopus Energy Generation is the only UK-based company to join the campaign. Through its Power Africa initiative, the group plans to catalyse USD 450 million across the entire energy value chain, from solar and wind generation to grids, distribution and technologies that connect people and businesses to electricity.
The strategy combines large-scale assets with decentralised solutions, with a specific focus on areas that are difficult to connect to national grids. This approach builds on Octopus Energy’s existing footprint in Africa, including its investment in MOPO, a company specialising in off-grid solar battery systems, and its partnership with Akuna Group to develop Sierra Leone’s first wind farm on Sherbro Island.
According to the company, these investments will provide electricity to around 1.1 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to the broader campaign objective of reaching 17.5 million homes.
Energy access, growth and climate resilience
The scale of the challenge remains significant. More than 600 million people across Africa still lack access to electricity. With the continent’s population expected to double by 2050, expanding clean energy is increasingly seen as a critical lever for economic development, access to essential services and climate resilience, from urban centres in South Africa to rural communities across West and East Africa.
Renewables in Africa are therefore not only an energy issue but also a foundation for industrial growth, job creation and more resilient food and water systems.
Global Gateway and Mission 300
The campaign is coordinated with Global Citizen and benefits from technical support from the International Energy Agency. It is also aligned with Mission 300, the programme led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million people by 2030.
Mission 300 covers generation, transmission and distribution, as well as clean cooking solutions. Within Global Gateway, the EU is also supporting regional transmission corridors, grid modernisation and interconnections between African power pools, all essential to integrate new renewable capacity and enable cross-border electricity trade.
The numbers behind Scaling Up Renewables in Africa
Commitments secured so far are expected to add 26.8 GW of renewable capacity and support the creation of skilled jobs, more stable markets and improved energy security. A Team Europe package worth €618 million further strengthens the project pipeline, with investments in electrification, grids and storage across several African countries.
These efforts align with global goals to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, said: “The story of renewables in Africa goes beyond energy access, it is about strategic investment to unlock prosperity. Despite 60% of global solar potential, the continent receives only 2% of global investment. With 450 million dollars, we are bringing power to 1.1 million people.”
Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Citizen, added: “International cooperation works when governments, businesses and civil society come together to accelerate renewable energy development, from generation to grids and enabling technologies.”