Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and -backed companies are unlikely to scale back renewable energy investments in Africa despite disruptions from the Iran war, analysts say, given the strong long-term economic and strategic reasons driving such funding. Much of the investment has been concentrated in North Africa, Southern Africa and parts of East Africa, while West Africa has attracted relatively limited funding. “Africa remains one of the few regions where demand growth is unequivocal,” said Matthew Tilleard, chief executive of Cross Boundary Energy, a Nairobi-based firm that develops and operates renewable energy projects. Governments have increasingly turned to private investors to help finance solar, wind and hybrid power projects to expand generation capacity without overstretching public finances. “There is currently a significant amount of energy investment underway across Africa, which are long-term projects that have been years in the making, so we don’t anticipate major disruptions.”

Source: The North Africa Journal March 17, 2026 07:00 UTC