Africa’s largest bank by assets is placing a significant bet on renewable energy.
Standard Bank says renewable energy financing outpaced non-renewable energy financing by a ratio of eight-to-one during 2025.
The figure provides a useful measure of where capital is increasingly flowing across Africa’s energy sector.
The bank has committed to mobilising R100 billion in green finance by 2028 and says it has already achieved more than 60% of its broader sustainable finance target.
The shift reflects changing economics rather than environmental rhetoric alone.
Solar, wind and battery storage projects have become increasingly competitive, attracting both developers and investors seeking stable long-term returns.
Standard Bank has financed several major projects including the 506MW Khauta solar projects, Seriti Green’s wind portfolio and Red Rocket’s Overberg Wind Farm.
Yet the bank’s executives acknowledge that Africa’s energy transition remains more complicated than in developed markets.
Nearly 600 million people still lack reliable electricity access. Many countries continue relying on fossil fuels to support economic growth. Financing decisions therefore involve balancing decarbonisation goals against development realities.
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The next phase of investment will likely extend beyond generation projects into transmission networks, battery storage and distributed energy systems.
For financial institutions, the opportunity is substantial. Africa requires hundreds of billions of dollars in energy investment over the coming decades.
The question is no longer whether renewable energy will attract capital. The question is how quickly enough capital can be mobilised to close the continent’s electricity gap.
By Thuita Gatero, Managing Editor, Africa Digest News.
