ISA and African Leaders Unite in Accra to Chart Pathways for Africa's Solar Future
ISA’s Seventh Meeting for Africa in Accra highlights new country partnerships, solar-for-agriculture initiatives, Mission 300 alignment, Africa Solar Facility launch and digital energy innovations to drive inclusive growth, among more.
September 05, 2025. By News Bureau
John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Ghana, and Chair, Seventh Meeting of the Regional Committee for Africa, stated in his address that expanding solar capacity is not only an environmental necessity, but also a significant socio-economic opportunity.
Expressing Ghana's commitment to work closely with every member state to ensure that energy aspirations translate into financed projects on the ground, he said, "Advancing Africa's energy transition is central to sustainable growth and shared prosperity. About 600 million people in Africa do not have access to electricity. Africa represents 17 percent of the world's population, yet consumes just four percent of the world's energy. Bridging this gap is our collective opportunity: transforming pipeline projects into bankable ones, providing low-risk premiums and attracting greater private capital.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ghana, emphasised that economic growth should rely on a dependable, clean and sustainable energy supply.
Speaking about the importance of collaborative efforts in the transition to clean energy, he stated, "Partnerships formed at events like this can play a crucial role in harnessing this potential. With adequate financing and strategic collaborations, we can achieve Africa's goal of exceeding the current two percent threshold of global clean energy investment. Ghana is ready to take action and set an example that we all deserve."
In recent decades, most electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa have come from solar power and other renewable energy sources, according to Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative, UN Secretary-General, Sustainable Energy for All. She stressed that solar is the fastest, least-cost path to reach the underserved.
"The average African, even when connected, uses about 400 kilowatt-hours of energy compared to 13,000 kilowatt-hours in the US. This is unjust and cannot be part of our transition story. Africa must invest in Africa. Sovereign wealth institutes, pension funds and local banks hold the capital to fund distributed renewable energy projects. Governments must streamline licences and unlock tariffs to scale private-sector participation," she said.
Representing France, which shares co-presidency of the ISA with India, H Jules Armand Beaussieux, Ambassador of France to Ghana, emphasised that solar energy is essential for addressing climate change while also promoting industrial development, energy security and job creation.
"France is committed to support renewable energy in Africa through significant investments and collaboration with the ISA," he said.
HE Manish Gupta, High Commissioner of India to Ghana, emphasised on India's commitment to sustainable energy.
He stated, "India's vision of 'One Sun, One World, One Grid' aligns with energy transition strategies aimed at providing clean and reliable energy to millions. We are supporting various initiatives, including distributed solar projects, solar home lighting, solar water pumps, clean cooking solutions and healthcare applications."
In his inaugural address, Ashish Khanna, Director General, ISA, emphasised that access to energy is a fundamental human right. He pointed out the significant gap in clean energy investment in Africa compared to global standards.
He stated, "ISA's strategy, 'Moving from Ambition to Action,' aims to establish implementation partnerships, innovate financing methods and strengthen local capacities. The ISA strategy of implementation partnership is aligned with M300 enabling private sector ecosystem in countries. Our goal is to empower countries to develop their own solutions."
The Director General also mentioned that ISA will engage in in-depth discussions to outline actionable steps for each Member Country in the region.
The key outcomes and announcements are as follows:
- Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF)
- Ghana, Nigeria and The Gambia formalised CPFs with ISA to align solar policies with national energy goals. These frameworks focus on solar rooftops, community mini-grids, agriculture-driven applications, institutional capacity building and National Focal Point Support Units for implementation.
- Memorandum of Cooperation with African School of Regulation: The partnership strengthens solar deployment through regulatory development, capacity building, knowledge exchange and funding mobilisation for member countries.
- Solar for Agriculture: Initiatives across Africa, such as solar-powered irrigation and agricultural applications, aim to enhance productivity, food security and rural livelihoods. Expanding solar-powered irrigation and cold storage could help reduce Africa's annual food import bill of USD 400 billion, create rural jobs and strengthen climate resilience.
- ISA Alignment with Mission 300: ISA has aligned itself strategically with Mission 300, an initiative aimed at accelerating solar deployment, encouraging private investment and improving livelihoods across the continent. "Programmes like Mission 300, supported by USD 48 billion in concessional funding, demonstrate the power of public-private partnerships to electrify 300 million Africans," said Ogunbiyi.
- Africa Solar Facility: ISA’s Africa Solar Facility managed by Africa50 is designed as a catalytic instrument to de-risk investments and unlock private capital for solar across the continent. Leveraging USD 200 million in catalytic finance, the facility is expected to mobilise over 20 times in private sector investments in decentralised renewable energy. NSIA of Nigeria has committed USD 100-150 million in sovereign wealth to the initiative, which will become operational before the end of the year.
- Digital Transformation in Energy Sector: ISA is advancing AI-driven tools and digital twins of power distribution systems—virtual models that map every asset and process within a utility. These tools help identify inefficiencies, improve dispatch of rooftop solar, storage and utility-scale plants, and ultimately lower costs while enhancing reliability.
- Global South and Inclusive Development: Africa's energy transition is being led by African countries, with support from ISA as a Global South-led institution. The emphasis is on equitable access, local capacity building through a network of Solar Application Resource Centres (STAR-Cs) and innovative technologies to ensure no community is left behind.
He stated, "Africa has an extraordinary opportunity to harness its abundant solar resources to drive economic growth, create jobs and improve energy access for millions. Strategic partnerships, capacity building and innovative financing models are critical to accelerating solar adoption. With nearly 60 percent of the world's best solar resources, Africa can leapfrog traditional energy pathways and become a global leader in distributed renewable energy solutions."
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