Africa secures major clean energy deals as France deepens investment push

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - French and African leaders have announced more than $11 billion in renewable energy investments across Africa, underscoring the continent's growing importance in the global push for cleaner energy and industrial development.

The commitments were unveiled Tuesday during a closed-door CEO forum held alongside the France-Africa Summit in Nairobi, attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kenyan President William Ruto and leaders from more than 30 African countries.

Executives from major companies including TotalEnergies, EDF, Kenya Airways and Rubis Energy announced projects spanning sustainable aviation fuel, hydropower, solar energy, wind generation and clean cooking initiatives.

"Africa has a historic opportunity to not only participate in the global energy transition but to help lead it," Ruto told delegates at the summit. "For Africa, this energy transition must also be an industrial transition."

Among the headline deals, Kenya Airways and Rubis Energy signed an agreement to jointly develop what the companies described as Africa's first sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Kenya. The refinery is expected to produce 32,000 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel annually.

"While we currently depend entirely on imports, this refinery allows us to produce a sustainable, local version of that fuel," said George Kamal, acting CEO of Kenya Airways. "Sustainable, renewable biogenic fuel is the optimal route for airlines to reach the goal of the International Civil Aviation Organization to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050."

TotalEnergies said it plans to spend $10 billion in Africa by 2030, including a $2 billion renewable energy project in Rwanda and $400 million for clean cooking initiatives in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Électricité de France (EDF) also announced plans for a 2-gigawatt hydropower project. The firm has invested in major hydropower and renewable projects across Africa, including the 1.5-gigawatt Mphanda Nkuwa project in Mozambique alongside TotalEnergies. It also has projects in Cameroon and Malawi.

Global Telecom committed $350 million toward the construction of a 250-megawatt solar plant in Zambia, while Meridian said it would invest $200 million to double the capacity of Kenya's Kipeto wind power project to 200 megawatts.

African governments are increasingly seeking renewable energy financing as the continent works to expand electricity access to millions of people while avoiding the high-carbon development pathways followed by many industrialized nations.

At the end of the summit, African leaders pledged to promote green industrialization through investment in renewable or clean energy. They also called for additional investments.

Analysts say the latest announcements reflect growing competition among global powers and multinational corporations seeking influence in Africa's emerging green economy, where vast solar, wind and hydropower potential remains largely untapped.