Johannesburg — A year-long campaign to mobilize investment in renewable energy across Africa, spearheaded by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has successfully secured €15.5 billion to advance clean energy generation and expand access to electricity for millions of households.
The campaign, organized in collaboration with Global Citizen and with policy support from the International Energy Agency, aims to accelerate the continent’s transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, promote decarbonized industrialization, and drive Africa’s sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at the Johannesburg pledging event, President von der Leyen said: “Today, the world has stepped up for Africa. With €15.5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could gain access to electricity; real, life-changing power for families, for businesses, for entire communities. This investment is a surge of opportunity: thriving markets, new jobs, and reliable, clean energy.”
The bulk of the funding—over €15.1 billion—comes from the European Union, including a Team Europe pledge of more than €10 billion. Additional contributions came from European financial institutions, member states, development finance institutions, and private sector partners. Notable bilateral contributions included:
- Italy: €2.4 billion
- Germany: over €2 billion
- Netherlands (including FMO): €250 million
- Portugal: €113 million
- Denmark: €81 million
- Sweden: €44 million
- Austria & Ireland: €5 million each
- EBRD: over €600 million
The Team Europe package also incorporates co-financed Global Gateway projects supported by Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the European Investment Bank (€2.1 billion), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€740 million).
In addition, the African Development Bank pledged to allocate at least 20% of the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy, while Norway committed approximately €53 million to the Fund for 2026–2028.
The campaign’s commitments are projected to generate 26.8 GW of renewable energy and provide renewable electricity to 17.5 million households currently lacking reliable access.
President von der Leyen highlighted that of the €10 billion pledged on behalf of Team Europe, €3.1 billion had been previously announced at earlier EU-Africa summits and forums, with the remaining €7 billion confirmed at the final pledging event in Johannesburg on 21 November 2025.
This initiative signals a major step forward in Africa-Europe cooperation on clean energy and demonstrates a shared commitment to a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for the continent.
