Nigeria’s urban electrification has stalled below 90% for over three decades

  • Urban electricity access has remained between 80% and 89% since 1990, never crossing to 90%.
  • The inability to achieve universal access suggests that infrastructure expansion has struggled to keep pace with rapid urbanisation and population growth.
  • Periodic dips in access, such as in 2010 and 2015, point to challenges in maintaining consistent electricity supply rather than just extending connections.
  • Insufficient generation, outdated grids, and policy inefficiencies have constrained Nigeria’s ability to deliver reliable and universal electricity access even in its urban centres.

Rural access to electricity in Nigeria has improved gradually over the past three decades but remains low relative to the overall rural population.

In 1990, only about 4% of rural Nigerians had access to electricity, leaving nearly the entire population without power. Progress was modest through the 1990s and early 2000s, with access rising to around 23% by 2006. Occasional spikes, such as in 2003 (32.7%), 2011 (31.0%), and 2016 (34.0%), suggest periods of accelerated connection drives or data adjustments, but overall growth has been uneven. By 2023, the rural electrification rate stood at roughly 33%, indicating that despite some gains, two-thirds of rural residents still lack reliable electricity.

The data reflects Nigeria’s slow but steady progress in expanding rural energy access, alongside persistent infrastructure and policy challenges in achieving universal coverage.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

1990-2023
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