The Intersolar Africa 2026 opened Tuesday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, attracting more than 100 regional and global exhibitors to showcase technologies powering the continent's green transition.
NAIROBI, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Intersolar Africa 2026 opened Tuesday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, attracting more than 100 regional and global exhibitors to showcase technologies powering the continent's green transition.
Senior government officials, industry executives, and innovators attended the opening ceremony of East Africa's leading exhibition and conference on solar power and energy storage, which runs until Wednesday.
Alex Wachira, principal secretary in Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, said that solar technologies have accelerated the green transition in Africa, while boosting climate resilience and inclusive growth.
"Solar power is playing a significant role in the continent's green energy landscape, providing grid stability, reliability, and affordability," Wachira said in a speech read on his behalf by Wesley Kipyego, assistant director for Renewable Energy in the State Department for Energy.
Currently, grid-connected solar represents about 6.5 percent of installed capacity in Kenya, equivalent to over 200 megawatts, or about 440 gigawatt-hours annually, said Wachira.
The solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Africa grew from 2,935 megawatts in 2024 to 4,498 megawatts in 2025, according to the Africa Market Outlook for Solar PV 2026-2029, which was launched at the Intersolar Africa expo.
Alyssa Pek, strategy director for the Global Solar Council, a clean energy industry lobby, said that Africa has emerged as one of the most strategic markets for solar products, driven by the need to achieve net-zero targets and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Pek noted that 2025 marked the fastest growth year on record for Africa's solar market, with 4.5 gigawatts of solar PV capacity installed, representing a 54 percent year-on-year increase.
"We believe that Africa's solar market is growing beyond our expectations," Pek said, adding that fiscal and regulatory incentives, investments in technical skills, and supportive infrastructure are key to boosting solar uptake on the continent.
Gerd Muller, director-general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, said in a video message that Africa's vast solar resources should be harnessed to fuel growth, unlock industrialization, and create jobs. ■
