African countries have an immense opportunity to become green manufacturing hubs, producing technologies like solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles advancing job creation and industrialization goals.
The Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (Africa REMI) is a work-stream under SEforALL’s Green Industrialization Hub, aimed at building local manufacturing ecosystems for energy transition technologies in Africa.
Launched during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023, Africa REMI focuses on supporting local assembly and manufacturing of solar PV, batteries and e-mobility technologies through national and regional level action, translating into job creation and industrialization outcomes.
The Opportunity
Renewables will play an important role in meeting Africa’s growing demand for energy driven by increasing access, consumption and industrialization. Renewables and electric mobility will meet much of this demand growth, creating an immense opportunity for countries to establish domestic green manufacturing hubs to reduce import dependency, create jobs and maximize socio-economic benefits. The opportunity is even greater given that the continent is home to many of the critical energy transition minerals needed to produce clean technologies.
Under the green transition scenario, Africa boasts an impressive potential
1.59$
Billion imports into Africa of solar PV modules in 2024
14 m
Employment opportunities
6.4%
Surge in GDP
Source: UN Trade and Development data and SEforALL Africa REMI: Opportunity and Advancement Report
Our activities
Africa REMI efforts are directed towards five priorities that are essential to scale-up of renewable energy manufacturing
Industrial Policy & Plans
Partner with governments to inform policy and incentive design to support domestic renewable energy manufacturing, leveraging South-South experience sharing, and advancing a regional approach to value chain development.
Demand Stimulation & Investment Facilitation
Engage with public initiatives and donor programmes to stimulate demand for domestic products, while extending end-to-end support to supply-side enterprises on financing and matchmaking across markets in Africa and other regions, including Asia.
Market Intelligence
Deliver data-driven assessments and analysis on market sizing, financing opportunities, policy and institutional landscapes to guide decision-making by policy makers, development partners, investors, local and international private sector players.
Capacity Building
Strengthen Africa’s manufacturing workforce and companies of the future by facilitating trainings and curriculum development for technical and non-technical skills, related to renewable energy manufacturing by leveraging South-South cooperation.
Communicate
Showcase success stories of government programmes and enterprises pioneering renewable energy manufacturing in Africa quantifying impact and showcasing emerging lessons for a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition in the Global South and at national, global fora including G20.
Focus Countries
Africa REMI activities currently focus on Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, with plans to expand to additional countries in 2025-26.
South-south cooperation is a cross-cutting element in Africa REMI activities with strong ongoing engagement with non-focus countries in Africa and other regions, including South Asia, ASEAN and Latin America.
The initiative welcomes collaboration with governments, investment development corporations, financiers’, industry and development partners — fostering global partnerships to accelerate sustainable, inclusive green value chain development.
Reach out to us on: Africaremi@seforall.org
Case studies
This guide aims to provide industry, investors and other stakeholders a preliminary overview of the manufacturing policy and regulatory landscape in Kenya highlighting applicable laws, institutions and incentives available. It also highlights challenges and potential solutions to address bottlenecks facing local manufacturers in the solar PV, battery and electric mobility ecosystem.
Dive into the inspiring case study of BasiGo, the pioneering electric vehicle company transforming public transport in Kenya and Rwanda. Discover how BasiGo's innovative electric buses, green manufacturing, and sustainable vision are reducing emissions, creating jobs, and setting new standards for clean, reliable public transit in East Africa.
To aid the private sector, investors, and other stakeholders in navigating the manufacturing policy and regulatory landscape in Ghana, this guide offers insights on two key areas: Considerations for OEMs in establishing a renewable energy (RE) and an Overview of the domestic green manufacturing policy landscape.
Discover diverse funding initiatives facilitating renewable energy manufacturing, from the African Enterprise Challenge Fund to USAID's Development Innovation Ventures, aimed at empowering sustainable energy solutions and economic growth across region
Embracing local manufacturing as a top priority, the Nigerian government integrates it into its Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and other national strategies. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are poised to drive renewable energy development, with a focus on producing key technologies like solar panels, inverters, and electric vehicles locally, thus supporting the decarbonization targets for the government.
Solar Taxi is a pioneering e-mobility company based in Ghana, committed to providing eco- friendly transportation solutions. The company manufactures and deploys electric vehicles (EVs), including two, three, and four-wheelers powered by renewable energy sources. Solar Taxi aims to promote sustainable mobility and reduce carbon emissions.
The Electric Motor Vehicle Company (EMVC) is an indigenous Nigerian company that offers a full range of environmentally sustainable electric mobility solutions and complementary services for the value chain. EMVC aims to revolutionize the transportation sector by creating a green and safe environment through the production and sale of zero-carbon electric vehicles.
Auxano Solar Nigeria Limited is a renewable energy solution provider headquartered in Lagos State, Nigeria. The company specializes in innovative solar energy solutions with a mission to bridge the gap in the power sector by offering sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective solar products.
Roam’s mission is to provide affordable, zero-emission transport solutions for the global south. Roam is a technology-driven electric mobility company that designs and develops electric motorcycles, electric buses, and solar systems for emerging markets, starting in Kenya.