Africa-Press – Cape verde. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Government of Sierra Leone on Wednesday officially launched the second edition of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) Investment Forum aimed at scaling up investments towards advancement of energy transition and green industrialisation across member countries.
The forum, taking place from October 22–23 at the Freetown International Conference Centre, provides a platform for ministers, distinguished representatives from APRA Partners, investors, developers and financial institutions from across the continent and beyond to engage in high-level dialogues and technical sessions.
This year’s high-level meeting takes place just days after the launch of a new IRENA report published at the Pre-COP in Brasília revealed that Africa accounted for only 1.6% of newly installed renewable capacity last year.
“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,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera in a statement.
“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.”
Currently, APRA’s member countries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe with more countries expected to join. Its founding partners are Denmark, Germany, the UAE, and the US, while IRENA and UNOPS serve as the Secretariat.
The Forum also includes matchmaking opportunities and a project exhibition that provide regional developers with a platform to showcase their projects and gain exposure to global investors and financiers.
“APRA is a critical initiative for African countries in their efforts to accelerate the use of renewables to meet SDG 7,” Sierra Leone’s Energy Sector Lead, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF) and Energy Governance Coordination Group (EGCG) told delegates.
“Sierra Leone is proud to host the 2025 APRA Summit following the signing of a 2.2 billion Mission 300 Compact where we aim to increase the share of renewables from 46% to 52%.”
The two-day event builds on the success of last year’s inaugural edition in Nairobi, which mobilised a project pipeline valued at US$ 2.7 billion and about 1 gigawatt of potential renewable power generation capacity.
Meanwhile, post-forum facilitation will focus on advancing identified projects, strengthening investment readiness, and supporting implementation efforts across APRA countries.
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