Trump’s War on Iran is Pushing the Global South Toward Chinese Solar Panels in Record Numbers

Donald Trump's presidency has dealt a significant blow to American soft power, the global network of institutions that tie foreign economies to U.S. capital. Under his administration, programs like the U.S. Agency for International Development have diminished, leaving countries reliant on U.S. support in short-term struggles and weakening U.S. influence globally.

A prime example is the U.S. war against Iran, which has led to a "reverse-sanction" scenario, choking suppliers of oil from world markets. In Nigeria, a key U.S. ally in Africa, this has resulted in rising oil costs driving markets away from the U.S.-dominated fossil fuel economy and into Chinese solar infrastructure. A report by the Los Angeles Times reveals this shift in West Africa, with trade in solar panels, lithium batteries, and energy inverters skyrocketing in Lagos, one of Africa's largest electronics bazaars.

Former solar retail shop owner Nnamdi Nkemka attributes the trend to the war on Iran, noting that even tomato sellers now keep solar batteries in stock. Nigeria, despite being one of West Africa's largest oil producers, has increasingly embraced solar power, with installation rates in 2026 surpassing those of 2024 and 2025 combined.

While upfront installation costs remain a challenge, solar energy has become a multi-billion dollar industry in Nigeria, with imports of Chinese solar panels rising by two-thirds between June 2024 and June 2025. For Nigerian homeowner Oluwaseun Aguda, switching to a three-kilowatt solar array supplied by a Chinese company has eliminated struggles with rising gasoline prices, providing peace of mind.