African countries sharply ramped up purchases of Chinese-made solar panels over the past year, importing 15 gigawatts of modules in the 12 months to June 2025—a 60 percent increase from the previous comparable period, according to data compiled by climate think tank Ember. The influx of equipment is already changing energy balances on the continent. In Sierra Leone, the volume of panels brought in last year is equivalent to 61 percent of the nation’s entire 2023 electricity output. Ember estimates the new imports will lift power supply by at least 5 percent in 16 other African states, offering a quicker and cheaper substitute for diesel generation and grid-extension projects. The surge underscores Africa’s growing reliance on distributed solar to tackle energy poverty and meet rising demand without adding significant carbon emissions, while highlighting China’s continued dominance in global clean-energy manufacturing and export markets.