Building on the success of its inaugural event, the forum seeks to mobilise large-scale investments to accelerate Africa’s energy transition and green industrialisation.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone, has officially launched the second Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) Investment Forum in Freetown. The two-day event, taking place from 22 to 23 October 2025 at the Freetown International Conference Centre, aims to scale up renewable energy investments and fast-track the continent’s transition toward green and sustainable industrial growth.
The APRA Investment Forum brings together ministers, senior government officials, high-level representatives of APRA partner countries, investors, developers, and financial institutions from across Africa and beyond. The gathering is designed to promote high-level policy dialogues, technical sessions, and matchmaking opportunities, creating a vital bridge between project developers and global financiers. It also features a dedicated exhibition platform for regional developers to showcase renewable energy projects with potential for large-scale deployment.
The launch of this year’s forum comes just days after IRENA presented a revealing new report at the Pre-COP meeting in Brasília. The report highlighted Africa’s limited contribution to global renewable energy expansion, accounting for only 1.6 per cent of newly installed renewable capacity in 2024, despite its vast natural potential. This underlines the need for urgent investment and stronger collaboration to bridge the financing gap and unlock the continent’s clean energy future.
IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera underscored the urgency of accelerating Africa’s renewable energy rollout, noting that affordability is no longer the main obstacle—financing is.
“Renewables have become the most affordable source of power generation, yet the gap between Africa’s vast renewable energy potential and actual deployment remains wide,” he said. “We must act urgently and collaboratively to remove persistent financial barriers and ensure affordable capital reaches viable projects. Through the APRA Investment Forum, IRENA is deploying its full range of project facilitation tools and partnerships to de-risk investment, unlock innovative financing, and channel capital where it is most needed.”
Representing the Government of Sierra Leone, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Energy Sector Lead and Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF), as well as the Energy Governance Coordination Group (EGCG), reaffirmed the country’s commitment to driving regional renewable energy integration.
“APRA is a critical initiative for African countries in their efforts to accelerate the use of renewables to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7,” Dr. Yumkella stated. “Sierra Leone is proud to host the 2025 APRA Summit following the signing of our $2.2 billion Mission 300 Compact, through which we aim to increase the share of renewables in our energy mix from 46 percent to 52 percent. This demonstrates Sierra Leone’s commitment to building a sustainable and resilient energy future for our citizens.”
The 2025 edition of the forum builds upon the success of the inaugural APRA Investment Forum held in Nairobi last year, which successfully mobilised a project pipeline valued at USD 2.7 billion and approximately 1 gigawatt of potential renewable power generation capacity. This year’s forum is expected to further strengthen collaboration among APRA member states, development partners, and investors, ensuring the acceleration of viable renewable projects across Africa.
Post-forum facilitation activities will focus on advancing identified projects, improving investment readiness, and supporting implementation efforts in APRA countries. By leveraging IRENA’s Project Facilitation and Matchmaking Platforms, developers and governments can directly engage with investors, financiers, and technology providers to transform clean energy ideas into bankable projects.
The Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) continues to play a central role in shaping Africa’s energy landscape by bringing together political leadership, innovation, and new models of cooperation. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that the continent’s renewable energy potential—ranging from solar and wind to hydro and geothermal—can be harnessed not only to achieve universal energy access but also to drive industrialisation, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
APRA’s founding members—Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zimbabwe—are working collectively to design strategies that attract private sector investment, improve policy frameworks, and foster knowledge exchange. They are supported by key international partners including Denmark, Germany, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, who are helping to mobilise both technical expertise and financial resources.
According to IRENA, achieving Africa’s renewable energy ambitions will require a dramatic increase in investment flows. Despite Africa’s abundant renewable resources, the continent currently receives less than 2 per cent of global clean energy investment. The Agency emphasises that the APRA platform will continue to serve as a powerful mechanism to address structural financing challenges, including high perceived investment risks and the limited availability of affordable long-term capital.
With the support of international development partners, IRENA and APRA are working to design de-risking instruments and blended-finance models that can attract institutional investors to Africa’s renewable energy markets. These efforts, La Camera noted, are essential to creating an enabling environment that turns political commitments into tangible projects capable of transforming lives.
Beyond energy generation, the forum also seeks to link the renewable energy transition to Africa’s green industrialisation agenda. Renewable energy is increasingly viewed as the foundation for value-added manufacturing, agro-processing, and digital innovation, which are all key drivers of the continent’s long-term development. By powering industries sustainably, APRA countries aim to reduce carbon emissions while boosting productivity, resilience, and competitiveness in the global market.
As delegates convene in Freetown, discussions are expected to centre on strategies to enhance project bankability, strengthen cross-border energy trade, and foster local capacity building in clean energy technologies. The outcomes of these deliberations will be instrumental in shaping Africa’s renewable energy roadmap ahead of COP30 and beyond.
The launch of the second APRA Investment Forum in Freetown marks another milestone in Africa’s journey toward energy independence and sustainability. It signals a shared commitment by governments, private sector actors, and international partners to transform Africa’s renewable energy potential into a cornerstone for inclusive growth and climate resilience.
About the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA)
APRA is an international alliance led by African nations dedicated to accelerating renewable energy transitions and supporting green industrialisation. It leverages political leadership, innovation, and cooperative action to drive energy transformation across the continent.
About the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
IRENA is the leading intergovernmental organisation promoting the global transition to renewable energy. With 169 member countries and the European Union—plus 15 additional countries in accession—it provides technical assistance, knowledge, and investment facilitation to promote sustainable development, energy access, and climate resilience.
Contact:
IRENA Communications Office
Nicole Bockstaller, Chief of Communications
Email: nbockstaller@irena.org | Tel: +971 2417 9951
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