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Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda

Rwanda: Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas was 88.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
88.0%
Change on year
down 11.9%
World rank
180th
of 212 countries
All-time high
99.9%
in 2023
All-time low
18.1%
in 1993
Years of data
33
1992–2024

Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda, 1992–2024

204060801001992200820241992: 31.1 % of urban population1993: 18.1 % of urban population1994: 20.4 % of urban population1995: 22.7 % of urban population1996: 25 % of urban population1997: 27.3 % of urban population1998: 29.5 % of urban population1999: 31.8 % of urban population2000: 38.9 % of urban population2001: 35.9 % of urban population2002: 38.2 % of urban population2003: 40.5 % of urban population2004: 42.9 % of urban population2005: 25.1 % of urban population2006: 47.6 % of urban population2007: 50 % of urban population2008: 28.1 % of urban population2009: 54.9 % of urban population2010: 44.5 % of urban population2011: 58.2 % of urban population2012: 67.6 % of urban population2013: 61.5 % of urban population2014: 71.8 % of urban population2015: 72.9 % of urban population2016: 80 % of urban population2017: 84.8 % of urban population2018: 85.8 % of urban population2019: 86.4 % of urban population2020: 93.9 % of urban population2021: 98 % of urban population2022: 98 % of urban population2023: 99.9 % of urban population2024: 88 % of urban population

Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of urban population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda is 88.0%, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 11.9% on the previous year and up 22.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda peaked at 99.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 18.1%, in 1993.

Rwanda ranks 180th of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 25.7% 18.1% 31.8% 8
2000s 40.2% 25.1% 54.9% 10
2010s 71.3% 44.5% 86.4% 10
2020s 95.6% 88.0% 99.9% 5

Countries ranked near Rwanda

  1. 177 Vanuatu 90.1% compare
  2. 178 Equatorial Guinea 89.3% compare
  3. 179 Mali 88.6% compare
  4. 181 Sudan 87.9% compare
  5. 182 Burkina Faso 87.8% compare
  6. 183 Gambia 85.6% compare
  7. 183 Haiti 85.6% compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More energy & mining data for Rwanda

All data for Rwanda →

Frequently asked questions

What is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda?
Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda was 88.0% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 2023.
What is the lowest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
The lowest recorded value was 18.1% in 1993.
How does Rwanda rank for access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas?
Rwanda ranks 180th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Rwanda?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Rwanda data come from?
The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas
Unit
% of urban population
Source
SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 6,652 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

The definition used in international statistics adopts a very low cutoff for what it means to ‘have access to electricity’. It is defined as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.