Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg, Global Citizen’s first-ever summit on the African continent, marked the culmination of the year-long Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA) campaign, closing with breakthrough pledges that will help unlock electricity access for over 17.5 million homes and deliver 26.8 gigawatts of clean energy across the continent by 2030. Held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Nov. 21, the summit made one thing clear: with the right investments, resources, and political will, Africa has what it takes to lead the world in delivering a clean energy future, transforming its unparalleled renewable potential into life-changing power for millions. 

Co-chaired in partnership with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, with support from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Global Citizen’s 12-month SURA campaign secured pledges that will help with efforts to quadruple Africa’s renewable energy capacity by 2030.

 The timing was significant. Convened on the historic eve of the first G20 Summit ever led by an African nation, the event convened Heads of State, major development finance institutions, private sector leaders, and engaged Global Citizens all laser-focused on one goal: closing Africa’s massive energy access gap. Through a series of new, timebound financial and policy commitments, leaders demonstrated they were ready to kickstart momentum, underscoring the urgent need to act at a moment when the continent’s rapid population growth, unmet energy needs, and escalating climate impacts are intensifying.  

Serving as the official pledging moment for the SURA campaign, Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg united governments, investors, and citizens together to ignite momentum and build up a more resilient energy future for the continent. Here’s exactly how.

What Brought Global Citizen NOW to South Africa? 

Global Citizen NOW is Global Citizen’s premier thought-leadership platform, bringing together world leaders, innovators, advocates, and cultural figures to drive urgent action to end extreme poverty. The sessions explore what solutions are working, where progress is falling short, and what must happen now to build a prosperous and sustainable future. With democratized access through online streaming, the summit extends its influence well beyond the room, offering panels that blend insights from government, business, and the arts to spark new ideas and partnerships around energy, equity, and development.

More than a series of conversations, Global Citizen NOW is designed to translate dialogue into impact. Participants contribute to major advocacy moments, help shape commitments, and drive real-world change. Past editions have catalyzed cross-sector solutions and meaningful pledges that advance the global fight against extreme poverty.

The first-ever Global Citizen NOW summit in Africa in Johannesburg marked a major milestone in the series’ global expansion following previous events in New York City, Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Detroit, Belém, and Sevilla. 

This edition focused not only on energy access, but also global health security, building climate resilience, and promoting themes of solidarity, equality, and sustainability ahead of this year’s G20 meetings. To help, the summit enlisted a robust lineup of speakers, including H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia; Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Prime Minister of Ireland; Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway; Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Deputy President of South Africa; and Sipho Makhubela, Chief Executive Officer, Harith General Partners, along with other notable participants. 

This landmark event was made possible by a network of cross-sector partners, including presenting partner Harith General Partners, who helped highlight the essential role the private sector can play in accelerating the build-up of Africa’s clean energy future. Other major partners included Octopus Energy, Pele Energy Group, and TransEnergy Global, along with support from Genesis Energy and PayPal. The event’s mission and programming were also amplified to audiences across Africa and beyond thanks to media partners including EIB Network, TimesLIVE, and Vanguard Media. 

The Lowdown on SURA: What Is It and Why Does It Matter? 

Officially launched in November 2024 by Global Citizen alongside President von der Leyen and President Ramaphosa, and developed with policy support from the International Energy Agency (IEA), SURA set out with a bold mission to confront Africa’s deep energy inequities head-on and help jumpstart the continent’s clean energy transformation. 

The need to change course is undeniable. Today, over 600 million people in Africa live without reliable electricity, otherwise known as energy poverty, while one billion on the continent are forced to rely on unsafe cooking fuels such as charcoal, that harm both their health and the environment. With Africa’s population projected to reach two billion by 2050 — and with two out of every five children born in the world expected to be African — energy demand will only intensify, stretching continental energy grids and resources to their potential breaking point. Without decisive action, millions will remain without reliable power, locked out of economic opportunity, quality education, digital inclusion, and dependable health care. 

Compounding the issue even more, many countries still depend heavily on outdated fossil fuels. For example, in South Africa — Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg’s host country — 82% of electricity still comes from coal, a sector that supports thousands of livelihoods country-wide, complicating a path towards fully embracing renewables. Public efforts to finance a clean transition have repeatedly fallen short, leaving communities vulnerable to regular power outages, rising costs, and escalating climate impacts. 

SURA was designed as a direct call-to-action for leaders to address these challenges head-on. Meaningful, time-bound financial and policy commitments can help shift Africa’s current trajectory and make genuine progress towards meeting the COP28’s goal set in 2023 to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

The push for clean energy aligns with broader social and economic development needs. Electricity is the foundation for agricultural productivity, public services, economic growth, and stronger social welfare. Today, Africa faces some of the steepest challenges globally: it’s home to 33 of the world’s 47 least-developed countries, and less than half its population has regular electricity access. Energy poverty limits everything from a child’s ability to study after the sun goes down to hospitals’ ability to operate essential equipment or refrigerate life-saving vaccines.

Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg was designed to be the campaign’s defining culmination moment — the stage where momentum built up over the year turned into action with concrete pledges to deliver on SURA’s promises.

Not Just Good Economics, But a Moral and Climate Imperative

Economic and climate data tell a powerful story: expanding access to electricity is directly linked to economic growth, especially when that power is renewable. For every dollar invested in renewable energy, an additional $0.93 is generated. That math means investing in clean energy is one of the smartest economic investments a country can make. 

For Africa, this transition is more essential than ever. Climate change is already costing the continent 5-15% of its GDP per capita growth due to extreme weather, droughts, food insecurity, and increasingly fragile, unreliable energy systems that come from it. As climate impacts intensify, scaling renewables is both an economic necessity and a climate imperative. 

Globally, the stakes are sky high. To stay on track to reach net zero emissions by 2050, emerging markets and developing economies need to increase their clean energy investment from less than $150 billion today to over $1 trillion by 2030 — a seven-fold increase. A staggering challenge to say the least. 

That’s where SURA came in. By amplifying youth leadership, local entrepreneurship, and innovative homegrown solutions, the campaign positioned Africa not as a passive recipient of aid, but as a global engine of clean energy growth.

What’s the State of Africa’s Renewable Energy Mix Now?

We know that Africa is home to some of the world’s richest renewable energy resources, yet much of this potential remains vastly untapped. Today, the continent generates roughly 18% of its energy from renewables — far behind regions like the European Union, where nearly half of the energy mix is clean. 

The disconnect is striking. Imagine Africa’s solar potential as a gigantic water tap. Right now, only a trickle is being used, but its potential is overflowing. Africa’s countries experience more sunshine than anywhere else on Earth and hold 60% of the world’s best solar resources, but it accounts for only about 1% of installed global solar PV capacity. With an estimated 7,900 GW of potential energy — for context, just 1 GW is enough to power about 750,000 homes — solar represents Africa’s most significant clean energy opportunity. As the African Development Bank put it, the continent’s solar potential is “almost unlimited.” 

Hydropower meanwhile already supplies around 40% of sub-Saharan Africa’s electricity, making it one of the region’s most established renewable technologies. But aging infrastructure, climate variability, and shifting rainfall patterns pose growing risks to hydropower’s long-term reliability and dominance. Wind power offers another major frontier to explore, with incredible onshore and offshore wind corridors spanning North, East, and West Africa. Meanwhile, geothermal resources along the East African Rift, spanning Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Tanzania, offer dependable clean power, and bioenergy (where projects convert agricultural waste and landfill gas into electricity) is rapidly expanding in markets such as South Africa and Kenya. Collectively, these resources position Africa to build a diverse, resilient, and increasingly homegrown clean energy mix.

But progress is accelerating unevenly. North Africa leads in installed renewable capacity, driven by large-scale solar and wind developments. Southern Africa meanwhile is beginning to emerge as a hub of dynamic policy reform and project development. This is particularly true in South Africa, where newly introduced regulations aim to unlock private-sector investment. Initiatives like its Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) show how coordinated financing can help manage the social impacts of moving away from coal, ensuring workers and communities are not left behind. And although Central Africa — and smaller states such as Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo — remain underrepresented when it comes to global investment in renewable projects, the region is poised to more than double its renewable capacity once major hydropower and solar projects advance. 

Altogether, this paints a clear picture: Africa has every ingredient needed to build a comprehensive, resilient clean-energy system — what’s missing is the investment to really kick it into high gear.

The Finance Gap

The problem? The money needed to pay for Africa’s energy transition far outpaces what’s currently available.

Over the past two decades, only about 2% of global renewable energy investment has flowed to Africa — and most of that has been concentrated in just a few countries. Capital also continues to favor fossil fuels, particularly gas and mixed fossil projects, while many low-income and fragile states facing acute energy poverty receive only minimal support. This imbalance threatens to widen an already deep energy equity divide across the continent.

Africa’s energy transition will require a comprehensive financing and policy strategy that goes beyond building new power plants. This includes modernizing outdated grids and strengthening transmission and distribution networks, while improving energy efficiency across homes, businesses, and industries — replacing inefficient appliances, systems, and equipment that drive up energy demand.

Stronger regulatory frameworks and expanded local technical expertise are also essential to support long-term investment. At the same time, countries need clear plans for developing new clean generation, particularly renewables, alongside modern grid infrastructure.

Empowering Africa’s Next Generation: Global Citizen Fellows 

Africa’s clean energy future will be shaped by its young people, and the Reverse Power Panel — a youth-led initiative facilitated by Global Citizen ahead of the main summit — placed their leadership at the center of the conversation. With the continent home to the world’s youngest population — but also rising unemployment and limited economic opportunities — incorporating youth voices can’t just be an afterthought, it’s essential. 

Investing in renewable energy can help close this gap: clean energy sectors create up to three times more jobs per dollar spent compared to fossil fuels. Building strong local expertise in modern energy systems is therefore critical for moving away from outdated and inefficient technologies.

A people-centered energy transition requires training programs, capacity-building initiatives, and opportunities for communities to design, manage, and maintain their own energy systems. These efforts reduce reliance on foreign specialists and strengthen local ownership. Initiatives such as the IEA’s energy-efficiency training for African professionals support this shift, preparing a new generation of workers for modern energy jobs.

Global Citizen is contributing to this momentum through its cohort of African Global Citizen Fellows, who bring expertise in renewable energy, advocacy, policy, and community organizing as well as helping drive youth engagement in the SURA campaign. Among them are young leaders such as Fèmi Tankpinou of Benin, founder of ECOZEM, a solar-powered urban transport service; Hope Dlamini from South Africa, a policy strategist and youth advocate; Lungile Magagula, a rising voice in climate and energy justice; and Manar Benessaidi of Morocco, a strategist working at the intersection of diplomacy, development, and local activism.

To elevate these voices even further, Global Citizen hosted the youth-led Reverse Power Panel on November 17 in Johannesburg. The event showcased Africa’s young clean-energy innovators alongside government and civil society leaders, including Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Samantha Graham-Maré and Africa Change Lab Director Bhekumuzi Dean Bhebhe. The session’s goal was clear: transform youth-driven ideas into actionable commitments, place young Africans at the center of decision-making, and demonstrate what truly youth-powered climate and energy leadership looks like.

Past SURA Commitments: Turning Momentum Into Real Power

To catch you up to speed: Commitments announced earlier in the SURA campaign included major commitments made at this year’s Global Citizen Festival in New York City in September, including Globeleq’s pledge to deliver 1.3 gigawatts of new, clean power across key markets, spanning solar, wind, and other renewable technologies, reaching an estimated 6 million residents. Additionally, Energea announced it would invest $250 million toward expanding renewables on the continent. Pele Energy Group also announced plans to expand capacity from 10 gigawatts over the next decade to provide renewable energy to 3.1 million homes.

At this year’s Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions and Global Citizen Festival in September, calls for action delivered. Major new pledges for renewable energy projects across Africa were unveiled, together amounting to enough electricity to connect more than 4.6 million households by 2030.

One of the first big commitments came from South African energy company Globeleq, which announced plans to build 1.3 gigawatts of new renewable power generation across Africa — enough to light up around 1.5 million homes. In a video message played at the Festival, CEO Jonathan Hoffman captured the importance of the moment: “Power generation is like building the foundation of a house. You can build more when you have more power.” In other words, more electricity means more opportunity for entire economies.

Then came one of the most ambitious pledges ever made from a Global Citizen stage. Pele Energy Group committed to roll out 10 gigawatts of renewable energy over the next decade — a massive expansion that will electrify 3.1 million households within five years, scaling up to 6.25 million households across 11 African countries within 10 years. CEO Gqi Raoleka described the pledge as part of a shared mission: “Meeting an organization such as Global Citizen is a perfect alignment of entities preoccupied with a social imperative, [it is] the change we all want to see in eradicating global poverty.”

Momentum continued with Energea, an impact-focused energy investment platform, announcing a $250 million commitment to expand renewable energy projects across Africa over the next five years. Most of the investment will go toward new solar infrastructure, bringing clean, reliable power directly to communities that need it most. Meanwhile, the European Commission detailed how its massive clean-energy financing package for Africa — part of a €3.4 billion pledge made at COP28 — will be rolled out in support of the SURA campaign.

Earlier in the year, TransEnergy Global set the tone for breakthroughs at Global Citizen NOW: Sevilla in June, at which they announced a groundbreaking move: Project Mzansi. This initiative will see the purchase of a major coal reserve in Limpopo, not to extract the coal, but to rather keep it in the ground for at least 100 years. This historic first will keep 118 million tons of coal in the ground, preventing 236 million tons of CO₂ from ever entering the atmosphere. To finance the project, TransEnergy will release energy transition credits, a new type of carbon credit that helps companies meet their decarbonization goals. The company will then reinvest these proceeds into local communities and renewable energy projects across South Africa.

A Series of Electrifying Panels

Throughout the day, Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg convened an extraordinary lineup of leaders from across government, business, civil society, philanthropic, and creative sectors to shape a vision for meaningful leadership at the G20 and beyond.

Across every discussion, one message rang clear: African nations are the drivers of bold, scalable solutions to some of the world’s most urgent challenges. From accelerating renewable energy and economic transformation to sparking discussions about how to strengthen health security, job creation, and global governance reform, the panels demonstrated how African leadership, powered by an engaged civic society and citizen engagement, can unlock a brighter future for all.

The day opened with welcoming remarks from actress, humanitarian, and Global Citizen Ambassador Nomzamo Mbatha, who also served as host throughout the summit, setting the stage for a series of panels that brought these themes to life:

Johannesburg 2025: A Defining Moment for Global Progress

In this opening conversation, an all-star lineup — including actress and Global Citizen Ambassador Nomzamo Mbatha, global health champion Sibulele Sibaca-Nomnganga, Pele Energy CEO Gqi Raoleka, former South African Deputy President Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and legendary artist and humanitarian Yvonne Chaka Chaka — dove into what it means for the continent and the world for an African nation to host the G20 summit for the first time. Speakers shared how African leaders, innovators, and communities are reshaping the trajectory of global priorities, painting a picture of a continent leading the way — and inviting the world to follow.

Host and moderator Nomzamo Mbatha, global health champion Sibulele Sibaca, CEO of Pele Energy Group Gqi Raoleka, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Former Deputy President of South Africa, and legendary singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka speak on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Global Health Security for Shared Prosperity

Dr. Sivuyile Madikana of Discovery Health moderated a conversation between together Lady Roslyn Morauta, Chair of The Global Fund Board, and Robbie Brozin, co-founder of Nando’s and Goodbye Malaria, to tackle one of Africa’s biggest questions: how do we keep people healthy in a world full of overlapping crises? From climate change to pandemic threats to fragile health systems, the panel unpacked how smart investments, stronger public-private partnerships, and community-led solutions can build resilience from the ground up. Their message was clear: when we protect people’s health, we can unlock long-term prosperity across the continent.

The Global Fund — the largest grant funder of health programs in low- and middle-income countries — has proven an essential resource for nations building up health infrastructure and community health networks. But the number that speaks above all else? They’ve saved an astounding 70 million lives since 2002.

With the Global Fund’s 8th replenishment taking place at the same time as the summit, ultimately mobilizing $11.34 billion, the conversation turned to how crucial investments in public health care are to defeat virulent diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and why they are among the most cost-effective ways to protect people, economies, and global systems. Leaders underscored the importance of public–private partnerships, community leadership, and steady financing to build stronger, more resilient safeguards capable of stopping future pandemics before they start. 

That point is brought to life through the work of (RED), which for nearly two decades now has partnered with leading global brands and organizations to raise awareness of the fight against AIDS and the injustices that allow it to persist. (RED) has supported the Global Fund’s work specifically through grants that help the Fund deliver essential HIV testing, treatment, and care, in addition to supporting healthcare workers and strengthening health systems. Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver, (RED) has generated more than $800 million for the Global Fund and recently pledged $75 million towards its latest replenishment, made possible through partnerships with companies including Apple, Bank of America, Fiat, Gilead, Merck/MSD, Roche, Salesforce, Santander, and Vespa.

Energy Access: The Engine of Development

This dynamic session led by Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, brought together Jito Kayumba, Special Assistant to the President of Zambia, and Akinwole Omoboriowo II, CEO of Genesis Energy, for a conversation that cut straight to the heart of progress: power. Speakers explored how reliable energy is the spark that ignites development. With more renewable power, countries can light up hospitals, boost education, grow businesses, and create jobs, setting off a “development dividend” that lifts entire communities. In other words, when a nation gets its energy mix right, it sets the stage for true economic growth.

Jito Kayumba, Special Assistant to the President of Zambia, speaks on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

PayPal Small Business Impact Awards

During this inspiring session, co-moderated by PayPal’s Middle East & Africa Senior Vice President & Regional Head Otto Williams and actress-entrepreneur Pearl Thusi, the evening celebrated the recently announced winners of PayPal’s Small Business Impact Awards — an initiative by PayPal and Global Citizen to celebrate small businesses advancing social and environmental impact. 

Recipients of this year’s awards included Somnath Ray, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the US-based CLIP company, which is committed to democratizing public transport through e-bike access; Kunjpreet Arora, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the India-based Angirus, which develops alternative, sustainable construction materials; Franco Rodriguez Viau, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Argentinian firm Satellites on Fire, which has leveraged AI to improve wildfire alert systems; Zizipho Ntobongwana, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sheba Feminine, based in South Africa, which creates sustainable and inclusive period products for all; and Filip Lundin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sopköket AB, a Swedish organization that tackles food waste, hunger, and social exclusion. These inspiring entrepreneurs took the stage to showcase exactly how small businesses can be at the forefront of everything from advancing climate solutions to empowering women and uplifting communities, and how entrepreneurship can spark social innovation for the public good.

Fireside Chat: Scaling Up Renewables in Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans sat down together to discuss the goals of the SURA campaign in-depth. This high-level dialogue dug into how Africa and its global partners can work together to rapidly scale renewables, unlock investment, and boost energy security across the continent. The leaders stressed that tripling renewables by 2030 is an ambitious goal, but also immensely achievable as long as collaboration and financing flows where it’s most needed.

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa speaks on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Global Ireland and Africa’s Renewable Future

Sabrina Dhowre Elba, CEO, Activist, and Global Citizen European Board Chair, sat down with the Prime Minister of Ireland, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, to discuss how Ireland and Africa can work together to shape a more equitable renewable-energy future. Ireland’s own rapid energy transition has reshaped its national trajectory, and the commitments announced at the summit signal the possibility of similar change for millions across the African continent. A central theme of the conversation was the importance of a just, locally owned energy transition, as Martin underscored that true collaboration means ensuring communities benefit directly from renewable-energy investments.

Leadership in Crisis: A Conversation with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre joined Global Citizen’s Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Relations Officer Michael Sheldrick and Dr. Sidi Ould Tah of the African Development Bank Group to dig into what real leadership looks like in a turbulent world. From climate to economic shocks, Prime Minister Støre reflected on how challenges test governments and demand smart, steady, compassionate leadership. He highlighted the importance of global cooperation and highlighted Mission 300, a joint initiative between the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank working to help provide electricity to 300 million people across Africa by 2030 through policy reform, infrastructure investment, and private sector collaboration. 

Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank Group and Michael Sheldrick speak on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Catalyzing Africa: Harith, AfDB, and the Power of Homegrown Finance

Led by Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Global Citizen European Board Chair, this conversation turned the spotlight to the power of African-led finance. Joined by Sipho Makhubela, CEO of Harith General Partners, and Hon. Maropene Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, the panel made one thing clear: when African institutions, investors, and governments take the lead, backed by strong public–private partnerships, the continent can shape its own economic future. With homegrown capital fueling development, people across the continent can drive growth that’s both resilient and truly homegrown.

Commitment to Capital: Financing Africa’s Future

Moderated by CNBC’s Fifi Peters, this discussion brought together Matsi Modise of the World Climate Foundation, Alexio Musindo from the International Labour Organization, and Josh Wilson from TIME Africa & Global Venture Partners to explore how clever financial tools and blended public-private investments can create good jobs, strengthen communities, and build lasting prosperity. The conversation made it clear that unlocking capital isn’t just about money; it’s about investing in people and systems that can carry Africa’s growth forward for generations.

CNBC's Fifi Peters, the World Climate Foundation's Matsi Modise, the International Labour Organization's Alexio Musindo and Josh Wilson from TIME Africa & Global Venture Partners speak on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg: More Than Conversations, Real Commitments

Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg saw several monumental pledges announced on its stage, adding up to a historic evening marking some of the largest investments dedicated exclusively to jumpstarting Africa’s clean energy future to date.

Across governments, development banks, and private companies, leaders unveiled a decisive shift in support of the continent’s energy systems and will help drive progress towards quadrupling Africa’s renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Europe’s €15 Billion Investment in African Renewables

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Hugh Evans, CEO, Global Citizen speak on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

In one of the biggest moments of the entire night, the European Union (EU) confirmed a combined €15.1 billion in support for renewable energy development across Africa. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on stage, detailing a package that includes €13 billion in grants, loans, guarantees, and equity through European financial institutions and EU Member States, along with €2.1 billion anticipated to be leveraged from private sector partners. €3.1 billion of this pledge had been announced previously over the course of 2025, including during the EU-South Africa summit in March, the Mattei Plan for Africa and Global Gateway event in June, the Africa Climate Summit and the United Nations General Assembly in September and the Global Gateway Forum in October. The last €7 billion was announced during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg.  

The package announced by President von der Leyen includes new Global Gateway projects that count contributions from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain as well as the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Several impactful projects across the continent will benefit from this funding, including: building up mini-grid electricity systems to light up rural areas in Madagascar; a major new hydropower plant in Malawi; the development of renewables from solar in Zambia to help upgrade water supply systems in urban and rural areas; a new photovoltaic solar power plant in Côte d’Ivoire; support for early-stage renewable energy projects and companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo; two major projects to help provide access to sustainable cooking fuels and solutions across Central, Southern, and East Africa, as well as Indian Ocean regions. A full list of projects can be found here. 

EU leaders such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz, the Netherlands’ Huib-Jan de Ruijter, Chief Investment Officer of FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, and President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Odile Renaud-Basso and Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, all appeared via video to highlight the investments made to date through the SURA campaign. Denmark and Austria also announced new commitments to SURA, as did Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin announcing a €5 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme.

Given the diverse nature of European financing tools and reporting cycles, the consolidated figure includes projects and instruments that may have been public, under negotiation, or previously announced in other contexts, but which directly contribute to expanding renewable energy generation, transmission, and energy access across Africa.

Development Banks & Regional Partners Strengthen Continental Commitments

In addition to Europe’s support, several major development institutions announced new commitments. The African Development Bank pledged to allocate at least 20 percent of all African Development Fund resources to renewable energy, marking a significant shift toward clean-power priorities. Norwegian Prime Minister Støre committed NOK 3.1 billion (about $300 million), including about $61 million specifically for renewable-energy projects, over three years to the African Development Fund starting in 2026.

More regional efforts were announced as well. The Development Bank of Southern Africa shared its ambition to provide an additional 3 GW of clean energy capacity.,  Meanwhile, Zambia unveiled significant new targets towards their Green City and Urban Solar initiatives, which together will deliver 211 MW of renewable energy, create nearly 4,000 new jobs, and impact around 2.4 million people total.

The Private Sector Steps Up: Multi-Billion Dollar Action Across the Continent

One of the most significant commitments came from CrossBoundary Energy, who announced they had secured $200 million towards their goal of a $1 billion pipeline of renewable projects by 2030, spanning solar, wind, and battery storage. Meanwhile, Genesis Energy Group stepped forward with one of the largest private-sector commitments of the summit, announcing plans to deliver 10 GW of clean energy across Africa over the next 5 to 10 years. This expansion has the potential to provide power to an estimated 11.2 million households, reaching more than 33 million people while creating between 184,000 and 252,000 construction jobs and 13,700 to 20,500 long-term jobs.

Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg presenting partner Harith announced they would scale up their energy investment to the tune of delivering 3.5 GW of renewable energy, reaching around 850,000 people over the next five years. Enertrag announced its plan to deliver 1.2 GW of grid-secure renewable power in South Africa from 2026, enough to supply over 800,000 homes and benefit up to 2.8 million people while offsetting 3.5 million tons of CO₂ each year — equivalent to taking 800,000 cars off the road.

Scatec announced a major expansion of its global renewable energy portfolio, pledging to expand its clean energy project portfolio globally by $500 million, with a particular focus on the African continent. With 5.4 GW of power already secured, including 4.7 GW across Africa, these projects are expected to help avoid 6 million tons of CO₂ annually once operational.

Household access and consumer energy solutions also saw major momentum. Sun King, a leader in off-grid solar products, announced a $1.3 billion commitment by 2030 to deploy 3.8 GW of solar energy. Their goal: bring clean power to 50 million homes, schools, health centers, and small businesses, bringing clean electricity to 200 million people while creating 45,000 jobs and opening 1,200 new stores across Africa. Octopus Energy meanwhile expanded its Power Africa Fund with an additional $200 million in funding, bringing its total value to $450 million dedicated to accelerating clean energy across the continent. This expanded fund is projected to help deploy 180 MW of new renewable generation and deliver reliable electricity to 1.1 million people, supporting households, businesses, and essential services connect to essential power.

Zoisa North-Bond, CEO, Octopus Energy Generation speaks on stage during Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Together, these commitments reflect a powerful shift: the private sector is not just talking about Africa’s renewable potential — it’s investing in it. From billion-dollar portfolios to millions of new households electrified, the announcements from Johannesburg show that Africa’s clean energy transition is accelerating, and the world is finally starting to match its ambition.

Total SURA Commitments Rundown

Throughout the year, SURA showcased what bold, collective action can achieve, all backed by major commitments from member states of the European Union, other national governments, leading private sector energy companies, and multilateral development banks. Through this campaign, partners pledged 26.8 gigawatts of renewable energy, enough to power 17.5 million homes,

Over the last 13 years, Global Citizen has helped deploy more than $50 billion in commitments made through its platform and events, impacting 1.3 billion lives worldwide. These milestones prove that while Global Citizen’s mission to defeat poverty and defend the planet is ambitious, progress can be tangibly achieved when people campaign collectively, act strategically, and demand bold action from our leaders. 

Global Citizen has a strict due diligence and accountability process to ensure that all commitments announced are brand new and come complete with a clear, detailed plan for delivery. Each pledge is vetted, monitored, and evaluated from beginning to final implementation for its measurable impact and alignment with Global Citizen’s campaign objectives.

Read on for a comprehensive rundown of every pledge made over the course of the year-long SURA campaign:

Looking Ahead: This Is Just Beginning

Though the pledging event is over, the conversations sparked in Johannesburg are just getting started. Africa’s energy future is already taking shape, led by the young people, communities, and local innovators who feel the pressing need to address the realities of unreliable electricity every single day. They understand what energy poverty really looks like, what climate risks mean for daily life, and what kinds of solutions truly work on the ground. Their efforts are proof that Africa’s clean energy transition is happening right now — and that with the right support, it can scale even faster.

To keep this momentum growing, public engagement is essential. When people everywhere raise their voices, governments, companies, and financial institutions pay attention. That’s why we need citizens across the continent — and around the world — to keep pushing for major investment in Africa’s renewable energy future. Every call, every message, and every action helps build the political will to unlock more funding for clean, affordable power.

Policymakers and development agencies have a crucial role to play. It’s time to update outdated energy and financing strategies, embrace solutions fit for Africa’s realities, and strike the right balance between urgent development needs and long-term sustainability. When that happens, Africa can tap into its incredible renewable potential, drive inclusive and equitable growth, and build an energy system designed for the future.

The challenges ahead are clear. But so are the opportunities. This moment could be one of our greatest chances to help shape a more sustainable, prosperous future for Africa and for the world could well be one of the biggest of our time. Now is the time to light the way forward to a brighter future.