Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access was 42.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon, 1991–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
In 2024, share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon stood at 42.7%. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 64.2% on the previous year and up 127.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon peaked at 42.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 1991.
Cameroon ranks 182nd of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.1% | — |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +13.2% |
| 1993 | 7.6% | +10.1% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 9.0% | +8.3% |
| 1996 | 9.7% | +7.7% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | +15.7% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | -21.9% |
| 2001 | 13.9% | +51.1% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 14.3% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 19.5% | +36.4% |
| 2005 | 15.4% | -21.0% |
| 2006 | 25.8% | +67.5% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | -75.2% |
| 2008 | 17.1% | +167.2% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 16.1% | -9.0% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +8.9% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 18.8% | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 21.2% | +12.8% |
| 2016 | 21.8% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 22.4% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 26.3% | +17.4% |
| 2019 | 23.6% | -10.3% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 24.8% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 25.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 26.0% | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 42.7% | +64.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.9% | 6.1% | 11.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 6.4% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 16.1% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.5% | 24.2% | 42.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More energy & mining data for Cameroon
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 3.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 24.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon?
- Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Cameroon was 42.7% 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 share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 1991.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access?
- Cameroon ranks 182nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 127.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon 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 Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.