Nation unveils $3.4bn renewable energy plan to drive green jobs, AfCFTA opportunities

Ghana has launched a USD3.4 billion pipeline of renewable energy projects in its boldest effort yet to expand clean power, create thousands of green jobs and position itself as a continental hub for sustainable technology under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Unveiled under the government’s Energy Transition Framework, the initiative seeks to transform the country’s power mix by adding 400 megawatts of renewable capacity within the next five years.

The projects span utility-scale solar and wind farms, landfill gas facilities and the distribution of 1.5 million clean cookstoves aimed at reducing household emissions.

Other interventions include expanding solar street lighting from 100 to 400 kilometres, alongside the development of 400 solar-powered irrigation schemes covering 400,000 hectares of farmland.

Speaking at a Ghana–South Korea Business-to-Business seminar held under the Water–Energy–Food Nexus Project, Mr Seth Mahu, Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, said the framework is designed to raise renewables’ share in Ghana’s generation mix from seven percent to 15 per cent by 2030.

He indicated that the rollout would generate thousands of green jobs while deepening investor confidence.

At the seminar, Korean firms showcased advanced technologies to complement Ghana’s energy transition, including thermal drones for predictive solar management, state-of-the-art monitoring systems, mechanisation tools for upland farming and off-grid renewable energy solutions suited for Africa’s diverse markets.

Mr Mahu stressed that Ghana’s ambition is not only about meeting climate commitments but also about establishing itself as a production and distribution hub for clean technology.

With Accra hosting the AfCFTA Secretariat, he said businesses investing in Ghana will be well placed to tap into a continental market of more than one billion people.

Unlike many African nations still grappling with energy access, Ghana boasts a national electrification rate exceeding 85 per cent, with urban coverage at 98 per cent and rural access at 71 per cent and rising.

Government targets aim for 99.98 per cent coverage by 2030, a milestone that would place Ghana second only to South Africa on the continent.

“This progress means that regardless of where businesses are located, they will have reliable access to electricity to run their investments,” Mr Mahu highlighted, noting that energy infrastructure remains one of the country’s strongest investor incentives.