President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the billions newly pledged to expand renewable energy across Africa, emphasising that the need now is for implementation and ensuring that the funds are spent on the right people.
At the Global Citizen Scaling Up Renewables in Africa event, investment pledges from Team Europe and private sector players amounted to €15.5 billion.
“The funding pledged today is only the first step. The real test will lie in implementation. That is where we will see whether the pledges made today will indeed be realised. The money must be spent here in Africa to realise the dreams of African people on this continent,” Ramaphosa said.
He was speaking at the Global Citizen Scaling Up Renewables in Africa event in Johannesburg on Friday 21 November, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, on the eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
His remarks came after governments, development institutions and private-sector partners confirmed €15.5 billion in commitments to the campaign, with plans expected to generate nearly 27 gigawatts of renewable power and expand electricity access to millions of households across Africa.
The gathering marked the culmination of a year-long drive under South Africa’s G20 Presidency to push Africa’s energy priorities to the centre of global dialogue.
Team Europe pledges €7 billion
Ahead of President Ramaphosa taking the stage, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a landmark €7 billion Team Europe pledge, describing it as symbolic of Europe “standing with Africa now and in future”.
President Ramaphosa said the scale of commitments reflected renewed global confidence in Africa’s energy potential. “The commitments we have witnessed today affirm the relevance of our G20 theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” he said.
South Africa, he noted, has already installed over 17 gigawatts of renewable energy, and aims to raise this to 45 GW by 2035, guided by its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan and the Renewable Energy Masterplan.
He emphasised that the transition must uplift workers, communities and young entrepreneurs, cautioning that pledges alone do not build power plants or expand access.
He added that Africa’s renewable energy transformation must be rooted in community ownership and local benefits, reaching households across the continent.
“This will require discipline, partnership and an unwavering commitment to action. As we scale up renewable energy across the continent, African ownership must be at the heart of this transition.”
The president said further that Africa’s clean energy future will only succeed if investment strengthens local capabilities. “These initiatives will ensure that the next gigawatts of renewable energy are built with local skills, local manufacturing and local innovation. Scaling up renewables across Africa is essential for inclusive economic development,” he said.
Calling on global partners to remain engaged, President Ramaphosa closed with a message of optimism.
“I want to thank everyone who has made a pledge. Indeed, Africa is on the rise, and we call on everyone to join us as we rise on this continent.”
Investment from the private sector
At the Global Citizen Scaling Up Renewables in Africa event, major private sector players also announced their commitments in new investment to accelerate Africa’s clean energy transition.
The pledging session, led by Sabrina Dhowre Elba -- activist, CEO and chair of the Global Citizen Europe Board -- set an energetic tone, as she highlighted the momentum already created by governments in earlier sessions. She underscored the need for private sector leadership to match that ambition.
Elba said the world now needs bold, innovative partnerships that can act with urgency and deliver impact at scale to enable energy access and climate resilience.
She said that many of the global organisations represented at the event remain some of the most powerful multinational actors and when their innovation and financial strength combine with the entrepreneurial dynamism of Africa’s markets, the result is transformative – opening the door to new projects and new possibilities. “We create jobs, we accelerate access to affordable clean electricity for millions of people, powering homes, powering businesses and powering the next generation of African growth,” she said.
Commitments came from:
- Harith General Partners: Scaling its energy output from 1.5 GW to 5 GW for 850 000 households
- ENERTRAG South Africa: R32 billion for 1.2 GW and green hydrogen
- Octopus Energy: $450 million for a Power Africa initiative
- Genesis Energy: To develop and deploy up to 10 GW across Africa over the next decade
- CrossBoundary Energy: $1 billion target in renewable energy projects for industry.
The pledges mark one of the most substantial showings of private-sector commitment to Africa’s energy transition in recent years, reinforcing calls from African leaders and global partners to accelerate clean energy deployment beyond promises and into implementation.
With billions committed and gigawatts promised, Global Citizen’s campaign signals a new step towards cross-sector collaboration that could reshape energy access, industrial growth and climate resilience across the continent.
For more information visit: www.sanews.gov.za