By: Global citizen

The inaugural Global Citizen NOW summit in Africa, held in Johannesburg, culminated in a landmark series of pledges aimed at accelerating the continent's clean energy future. The event served as the official pledging moment for the year-long "Scaling Up Renewables in Africa" (SURA) campaign, co-chaired by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The summit successfully secured commitments that are projected to help deliver 26.8 gigawatts of clean energy and unlock electricity access for over 17.5 million households across Africa by 2030. The most significant announcement came from the European Union, which confirmed a combined €15.1 billion in support from its member states and financial institutions. This package includes €13 billion in grants, loans, and guarantees, with an additional €2.1 billion expected from private sector partners.

The private sector also made substantial pledges. Genesis Energy Group announced plans to deliver 10 GW of clean energy, while Harith, the summit's presenting partner, committed to scaling its investments to 5 GW. Other major commitments included $200 million from CrossBoundary Energy towards a $1 billion project pipeline, a $1.3 billion pledge from Sun King to deploy off-grid solar systems, and a $200 million expansion of Octopus Energy's Power Africa Fund.

These collective commitments, from both public and private entities, mark a decisive shift towards financing Africa's renewable potential. The summit underscored a unified goal: to close the continent's massive energy access gap and transform its unparalleled solar, wind, and other renewable resources into tangible, life-changing power for millions.