Ghana vs South Africa: Share of the population with access to electricity
Ghana
91.9%
in 2024
South Africa
90.2%
in 2024
Ghana rank
157th
South Africa rank
160th
Share of the population with access to electricity over time
- Ghana
- South Africa
How they compare
Ghana currently reports 91.9% against 90.2% in South Africa, a difference of 1.7%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 29 shared years of data; in 1996 it was South Africa ahead.
Ghana ranks 157th and South Africa ranks 160th of 214 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 | 38.6% | 65.8% | 27.2% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 50.9% | 78.7% | 27.8% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 84.6% | 11.6% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 87.6% | 88.7% | 1.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of the population with access to electricity, Ghana or South Africa?
- Ghana, at 91.9% against 90.2% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of the population with access to electricity between Ghana and South Africa?
- 1.7%, with Ghana 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 the population with access to electricity?
- Ghana ranks 157th and South Africa ranks 160th of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of the population with access to electricity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Access to electricity means having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.