Number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa
South Africa: Number of people with and without electricity access was 57.73 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa, 1996–2024
Source: Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa stood at 57.73 million people. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa peaked at 57.73 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 25.99 million people, in 1996.
South Africa ranks 23rd of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 25.99 million people | — |
| 1997 | 31.73 million people | +22.1% |
| 1998 | 30.00 million people | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 33.33 million people | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 34.14 million people | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 33.39 million people | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 36.83 million people | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 38.22 million people | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 39.49 million people | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 39.99 million people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 40.35 million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 41.43 million people | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 41.86 million people | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 42.73 million people | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 43.34 million people | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 44.30 million people | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 45.82 million people | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 46.59 million people | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 47.76 million people | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 48.39 million people | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 48.04 million people | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 48.64 million people | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 49.65 million people | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 50.65 million people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 54.51 million people | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 54.92 million people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 53.96 million people | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 55.44 million people | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 57.73 million people | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.26 million people | 25.99 million people | 33.33 million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 38.84 million people | 33.39 million people | 42.73 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.32 million people | 43.34 million people | 50.65 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.31 million people | 53.96 million people | 57.73 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa?
- Number of people with and without electricity access in South Africa was 57.73 million people in 2024, according to Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people with and without electricity access recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 57.73 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people with and without electricity access recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.99 million people in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for number of people with and without electricity access?
- South Africa ranks 23rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people with and without electricity access rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people with and without electricity access. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.