Sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for 83% of the global energy access deficit, a significant increase from 50% in 2010. In 2022, 571.1 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacked access to electricity, up from 566.1 million in 2010. According to the 2024 SDG 7 Tracking report, this stagnation is primarily due to population growth outpacing the rate of new connections.
Economic Constraints
Sub-Saharan Africa faces additional challenges, such as persistent inflation, high interest rates, and low affordability thresholds, which collectively shrink the region’s fiscal space. Eighteen of the 20 countries with the largest access deficits in 2022 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are:
- Nigeria (86 million)
- The Democratic Republic of Congo (78 million)
- Ethiopia (55 million)
These countries alone accounted for nearly one-third of the entire global deficit. Concentrated efforts in these countries are crucial to achieving universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services.
The Role of Off-Grid and Mini-Grid Solutions
In 2022, stand-alone off-grid solar solutions, including solar lights and solar home systems, served approximately 490 million people. For many, these solutions provided their primary source of light and power, while others used them as backup.
Of these 490 million people, 158 million had access to solar lights and home systems that met international quality standards. Mini-grids were estimated to serve 47 million people, half powered by fossil fuels and the remainder by hydropower (20%) and solar (13%).
The proportion of solar-powered mini-grids is expected to rise rapidly in the future. Least-cost modelling suggests that to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 7.1—universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services—by 2030, 439 million new connections will need to come from the grid (53%), 363 million from stand-alone solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (44%), and 24 million from mini-grids (3%).
Accelerating the deployment of decentralized solutions is critical, as current investment flows are insufficient for the sector to reach its potential. There is a pressing need to develop self-help ecosystems where consumers’ knowledge and implementation capacities are enhanced, enabling them to utilize larger flows of capital and technology effectively.
More details
Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of the global energy access deficit grew from 49.6% in 2010 to 83.3% in 2022, with a slight increase in the number of unconnected people that year. On average, 11.2 million people in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa gained access to electricity annually, significantly lower than the average annual rural population growth of 24.5 million people.
In 2022, the 20 countries with the largest populations lacking electricity accounted for nearly 75% of the global access deficit. Eighteen countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 17 are among the least-developed countries.
Between 2010 and 2022, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo saw average annual increases in access rates of just 1% and 0.7%, respectively. Ethiopia, however, made more rapid progress, with a 2.5% average annual increase during the same period.
Addressing Sub-Saharan Africa’s energy access deficit requires a multifaceted approach, including significant investment in grid expansion, the promotion of decentralized energy solutions, and the enhancement of data collection and analysis. By focusing on these areas, the region can make meaningful progress towards achieving universal energy access and meeting its sustainable development goals.