Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural was 54.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa is 54.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.8% on the previous year and up 43.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 54.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 25.8%, in 2000.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd of 34 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25.8% | — |
| 2001 | 26.0% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 27.2% | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 29.3% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 29.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 31.2% | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 32.5% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 32.9% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 33.2% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 35.7% | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 36.6% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 37.7% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 38.8% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 43.5% | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 43.3% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 46.0% | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 46.7% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 48.0% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 52.7% | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 54.7% | +3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.6% | 25.8% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 33.2% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.3% | 48.0% | 54.7% | 5 |
More energy & mining data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Fuel imports 23.6% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.0% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 16.1% (2024)
- Fuel exports 40.1% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 25.8% (2024)
- Mineral rents 2.9% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.5% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 10.0% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 17.4% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 376.79 kWh per capita (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa was 54.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 54.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.8% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd out of 34 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).