Ghana vs South Africa: Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access
Ghana
82.6%
in 2024
South Africa
86.3%
in 2024
Ghana rank
158th
South Africa rank
155th
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access over time
- Ghana
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 86.3% against 82.6% in Ghana, a difference of 3.7%.
Across all 29 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Ghana ranks 158th and South Africa ranks 155th of 212 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ghana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.9% | 41.7% | 31.8% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 24.7% | 68.2% | 43.5% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 56.3% | 80.4% | 24.1% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 75.8% | 92.5% | 16.7% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access, Ghana or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 86.3% against 82.6% in Ghana as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access between Ghana and South Africa?
- 3.7%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ghana and South Africa?
- 29 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2024.
- How do Ghana and South Africa rank globally for share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access?
- Ghana ranks 158th and South Africa ranks 155th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Having access to electricity is defined in international statistics as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.