US solar tariffs put Africa in the spotlight
The United States is preparing to raise further barriers against foreign solar products, opening a new chapter in which Africa is increasingly in the spotlight. On 11 September, the US Department of Commerce finalised new anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar modules from India, Indonesia and Laos.
The measures are now awaiting a decision from the US International Trade Commission before they can take full effect. They are part of a series of protectionist measures introduced since 2012 to counter below-cost pricing and state subsidies, which have previously affected China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.
Africa emerges as a new solar manufacturing hub
Washington’s tougher stance on Southeast Asian imports is accelerating the redirection of global trade flows, bringing Africa into greater focus as a manufacturing hub and putting Ethiopia in the international spotlight as an emerging centre for the solar industry.
InfoLink Group analysts expect supply from the Middle East and Africa to replace Asian production as the main source of solar modules for the US market.
According to the latest data from Ember and Africa Tech Futures Lab, the continent’s solar manufacturing capacity is expected to quadruple, supported by the launch of 2 GW of manufacturing capacity in Egypt, 500 MW in Tanzania and around 1 GW combined across Morocco, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria and Kenya.
Ethiopia’s solar exports to the US surge
Within this rapidly expanding market, Ethiopia is emerging as one of the most dynamic manufacturing hubs, attracting significant investment in solar cell and panel assembly.
Ethiopian exports of these products to the United States surged from mid-2025, rising from almost zero to around USD 300 million by the end of the year. Between January and May 2026 alone, exports reached USD 99.2 million.
This growing role has already triggered a response from US manufacturers. The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade has asked federal trade officials to investigate solar panel shipments from Ethiopia, alleging that manufacturers operating in the country are using Chinese-made wafers to establish a new route to circumvent US tariffs.
Duties reach more than 170% for some Asian imports
The measures finalised by Washington remain substantial for Asian markets. Dumping margins and countervailing duties reach 123.04% and 126.09% for India, respectively, while rates rise as high as 173.70% for Indonesia and 153.67% for Laos.
Compared with the European Union, which has adopted a regulatory approach involving auction requirements and cybersecurity rules, the White House continues to rely on trade measures.
But US manufacturing capacity alone cannot replace all the products affected by import restrictions. As a result, Ethiopia and other African manufacturers are increasingly at the centre of global solar supply chains, playing a potentially important role in the energy transition while facing growing scrutiny under US protectionist trade policies.