Africa attracted a wave of major greenfield investment announcements in 2025, spanning chemicals, energy, mining and automotive manufacturing.
Africa’s 10 biggest new projects attracting billions in investment and the investors backing them
- Business Insider Africa presents Africa’s 10 biggest new projects attracting billions in investment.
- The list is courtesy of UNCTAD.
- Ghana recorded the largest greenfield project announced in Africa in 2025, with an estimated $5 billion chemicals investment backed by Qatar-based Al Jedad Holding.
According to the UNCTAD table provided, the projects on the list range from a $5 billion chemicals investment in Ghana to $1.1 billion projects in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Together, they highlight where international and African companies see opportunities to build new productive capacity across the continent.
Here are the 10 biggest greenfield projects announced in 2025, ranked by estimated capital expenditure.
Ghana recorded the largest greenfield project announced in Africa in 2025, with an estimated $5 billion chemicals investment backed by Qatar-based Al Jedad Holding. Chemicals are strategically important because they can support industrial production across multiple sectors, from manufacturing to agriculture.
Uganda — $4 billion oil and gas projectBI Africa
Uganda’s $4 billion greenfield project was the second-largest announced in Africa during 2025. The investment, backed by UAE-based Alpha MBM Investments, is focused on the coal, oil and gas sector. The project reinforces Uganda’s growing importance in Africa’s energy investment landscape, particularly as the country develops its petroleum resources and associated infrastructure.
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Mauritania ranked third with a $3.1 billion renewable energy project backed by Germany’s Möhring Energie Group. The project is notable because it places renewable energy alongside oil, gas and chemicals among Africa’s largest greenfield investment announcements. Mauritania has increasingly attracted international attention for its energy and natural-resource potential, while its geography provides significant opportunities for renewable power generation.
Ethiopia’s largest project on the list is a $3 billion investment in chemicals by Nigeria’s Dangote Group. The project is significant not only because of its size, but because it represents African capital flowing into another African market. Dangote has become one of the continent’s most prominent industrial investors, and this project extends that expansion into Ethiopia. The chemicals sector could provide important inputs for manufacturing and other industries, supporting Ethiopia’s broader industrialisation ambitions.
Ethiopia — $2.5 billion coal, oil and gas projectBI Africa
Ethiopia appears twice among Africa’s 10 largest greenfield projects announced in 2025. Its second project is a $2.5 billion investment in the coal, oil and gas sector by Hong Kong-based Golden Concord Holdings. For Ethiopia, the investment adds to a broader push to expand infrastructure and energy capacity needed to support economic growth and industrialisation.
Angola’s energy sector attracted a $2.5 billion greenfield investment announcement from French energy giant TotalEnergies in 2025. The project falls within the coal, oil and gas category and reflects Angola’s continued importance as an energy-producing economy. Oil remains central to Angola’s economy, making investment in production and related infrastructure particularly significant for the country’s future revenues and export capacity.
Angola secured another $2.5 billion greenfield investment in 2025, this time from British energy company BP. Like the TotalEnergies project, the investment is classified under coal, oil and gas. Having two separate $2.5 billion projects in the top 10 underlines the depth of investor interest in Angola’s energy industry. Together, the two projects represent $5 billion in announced capital expenditure.
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Morocco — $1.5 billion Stellantis automotive projectBI Africa
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Morocco’s $1.5 billion automotive investment by Netherlands-based Stellantis represents a different side of Africa’s industrial investment story. Rather than oil, gas or raw materials, the project is classified as automotive original equipment manufacturing (OEM). Morocco has developed into one of Africa’s most established automotive manufacturing hubs, and the Stellantis investment strengthens that position.
Zambia recorded a $1.1 billion greenfield investment from China’s Fujian Xiang Xin Group in the coal, oil and gas sector. The project places Zambia among Africa’s 10 largest greenfield investment announcements of 2025, despite being considerably smaller than the leading projects in Ghana, Uganda and Mauritania.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) rounds out the top 10 with a $1.1 billion metals project backed by China’s CMOC Group. The investment is particularly significant given the DRC’s enormous mineral wealth and its importance to global supply chains for critical minerals. Metals are increasingly central to the global energy transition because minerals are required for batteries, electric vehicles and other technologies.
