Last year, 93% of new electricity generated globally came from renewables — a clear signal that the energy transition is no longer just rhetoric. At the same time, Critical Energy Transition Minerals (CETMs) are grabbing global attention, driven by rising demand from green energy, AI and geopolitical tensions. For Africa, this tension was on full display at the Second Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, the UN General Assembly, and will be a central topic at the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa, highlighting both the promise and the risks of the continent’s mineral wealth.
With a packed season of climate convenings on the road to Belem, we’ve been reflecting on the crosscurrents shaping Africa’s transition- the headwinds and tailwinds that will define its green finance and energy trajectory.
The Gist:
Energy, green minerals, and AI are increasingly interconnected, with security, affordability, resilience, and efficiency rising to the forefront.
The Global South holds 70% of critical minerals but receives only a fraction of renewable investment — highlighting a massive opportunity gap.
Pragmatic optimism: Markets are separating winners from laggards. success will depend on strong business models, robust economics, and enabling infrastructure, and Africa has a pivotal role if policy, trade, and investment are aligned.
Infinity Power—Africa’s largest independent renewable energy provider—has achieved financial close on its 200MW Ras Ghareb Wind Farm in Egypt. Read
BYD to launch South Africa’s fastest EV chargers delivering 400km range in five minutes. The Chinese automaker will roll out its 1MW Megawatt Flash Chargers from mid-2026, starting at dealerships before expanding along national highways in a roll out of up to 300 stations nationwide by the end of next year. Read
Spiro, the Nairobi-headquartered electric vehicle startup, has raised $100 million in new funding to expand its battery-swapping network and enter new markets, including Cameroon and Tanzania. The company said the round, led by Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), is the largest investment in Africa’s two-wheel EV sector. Read
CETMs are essential for low-carbon technologies, yet their extraction and trade come with environmental, social, and geopolitical challenges. Africa’s opportunity lies in turning these risks into a sustainable advantage.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) provides a framework to align infrastructure, trade, and climate resilience policies across the continent.This paradigm rejects the notion that there is a binary choice between avoiding GHG emissions by doing nothing or industrialising and polluting. It is also misguided to believe that the use of green technology can side-step the impacts of heavy industry entirely. Economic transformation of the green minerals sector and its downstream linkages requires a pragmatic concurrent application of ESG safeguards and investment.
The European Commission has significantly expanded its funding for South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership, tripling support to nearly €12 billion. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the Nelson Mandela Bay green-hydrogen-to-ammonia project as a flagship initiative, underscoring South Africa’s potential to become a global clean-energy leader. Read
SENELEC, Senegal’s public electricity utility, has launched a XOF 120 billion ($195 million) securitization program that combines Green Bonds and Sustainability-Linked Bonds. Read
4-5 November | C&I Energy+Storage Summit, Maslow Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa | Register
11-13 November | Powerelec Kenya, Sarit Expo Centre, Nairobi, Kenya | Register
17-18 November |The Bloomberg Africa Business Summit, an official sideline event of B20 South Africa 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa | Register
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