Faith Nyasuguta
Africa remains at the centre of the world’s deepest electricity access crisis, with Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) once again topping the grim list of countries with the largest number of people living without power. According to the latest Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025 from the World Bank, these two African giants represent a huge share of the global electricity deficit – highlighting the region’s urgent infrastructure challenges and the uphill battle to bring reliable power to millions.
The new report shows that while nearly 92% of the world’s population now enjoys basic access to electricity – a significant milestone – the reality in Sub-Saharan Africa is starkly different. Today, more than 666 million people globally are still living in the dark, and over 80% of them are in Africa.
Nigeria alone has about 86.8 million people without electricity, followed closely by the DRC with 79.6 million and Ethiopia with 56.4 million. Together, these three countries account for almost one-third of the world’s total population without access to electricity.
Despite the push for electrification in many African nations, progress has been painfully slow and uneven. Some countries have even seen gains reversed due to booming population growth and underfunded infrastructure. The report highlights that while rural electrification globally made some strides – thanks mostly to progress in Central and Southern Asia – Sub-Saharan Africa’s rural population growth is outpacing these efforts.
In 2023 alone, 451 million people in Africa’s rural communities remained without electricity, out of 565 million total without access across the region.
Rural communities bear the biggest brunt of this crisis. According to the World Bank, 84% of the world’s people without electricity live in rural areas. In parts of Asia, the number of rural people without electricity fell dramatically from 383 million in 2010 to under 25 million in 2023. But in Africa, the numbers stubbornly persist.
South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have some of the world’s lowest national electricity access rates – South Sudan sits at just 5 percent, while Chad and Burundi hover at 12 percent. For these countries, annual progress since 2010 has been minimal, highlighting the need for fresh strategies and greater investment.
| Rank | Country | People Without Electricity Access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 86,860,905 |
| 2 | DRC | 79,633,583 |
| 3 | Ethiopia | 56,400,131 |
| 4 | Tanzania | 34,862,880 |
| 5 | Uganda | 23,546,203 |
| 6 | Niger | 21,735,388 |
| 7 | Mozambique | 21,691,568 |
| 8 | Madagascar | 18,391,299 |
| 9 | Burkina Faso | 18,202,023 |
| 10 | Angola | 17,945,445 |
| 11 | Malawi | 17,669,934 |
| 12 | Sudan | 16,364,686 |
| 13 | Chad | 16,081,007 |
| 14 | Kenya | 13,138,184 |
| 15 | Myanmar | 12,687,720 |
| 16 | Burundi | 11,704,300 |
| 17 | Pakistan | 10,701,612 |
| 18 | Mali | 10,606,683 |
| 19 | South Sudan | 10,490,001 |
| 20 | Zambia | 10,060,384 |
| Rest of world | 157,648,778 |
The challenge isn’t just about switching on a lightbulb – it’s about unlocking economic growth, improving healthcare and education and giving communities a chance to thrive. Without electricity, clinics can’t safely store vaccines, students can’t study at night and businesses can’t grow. This stalls development and keeps millions trapped in cycles of poverty.
While Sub-Saharan Africa did see about 35 million people gain access to electricity in 2023, rapid population growth diluted that achievement. The net gain translated to a reduction of only 5 million people without power – down slightly from 570 million in 2022 to 565 million in 2023. This means the region now accounts for a staggering 85% of the world’s population without electricity, up from 50% in 2010.
Experts warn that unless electrification efforts drastically speed up, Africa will fall short of the global goal of universal electricity access by 2030. According to the report, investments must ramp up significantly, grids must expand, and off-grid solutions must reach more remote communities faster than ever before.
In a world increasingly reliant on digital tools, renewable energy, and climate-friendly technology, Africa’s electricity gap remains one of the biggest barriers to inclusive growth. The African Development Bank and other partners continue to push for new projects to close this gap, but the scale of investment needed is immense.
If progress continues at its current pace, millions will still be in the dark by 2030 – making it harder for Africa to fully unlock its economic potential under initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
For now, Nigeria and the DRC stand as stark reminders of what’s at stake if the continent doesn’t get the power it desperately needs. Africa’s path to prosperity is impossible without electricity – and the time to switch on the future is now.
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