East African countries accounted for seven of the continent's 15 biggest electricity access gains in 23 years

  • Eswatini recorded Africa’s largest electricity access gain, rising by 66 percentage points from 2000 to 2023.
  • Kenya and Rwanda followed with gains of 61 pp and 58 pp, respectively.
  • East African countries accounted for 7 of Africa’s top 15 electricity access improvements.
  • Comoros, Ghana and Cape Verde reached very high access levels by 2023, at 90%, 90% and 99% respectively.
  • Nigeria’s electricity access improved by 18 percentage points, from 43% in 2000 to 61% in 2023.
  • Despite that improvement, Nigeria remained outside Africa’s top 15 gainers over the period.
  • Some countries were absent from the ranking because they had already reached high access levels by 2000.

In 2000, Eswatini had electricity access of just 20% of its population. By 2023, that figure had risen to 86%, representing the largest improvement recorded by any African country over the period.

Kenya (61 percentage points) and Rwanda (58 percentage points) followed, while East African countries accounted for seven of the continent's 15 biggest electricity access gains in 23 years.

Nigeria's electricity access also improved, rising by 18 percentage points from 43% in 2000 to 61% in 2023. However, it remained outside the continent's top 15 improvers despite having one of Africa's largest populations.

Several countries do not appear among the biggest gainers because they had already achieved high electricity access by 2000. By 2023, Algeria, Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, Seychelles and Tunisia had reached universal (100%) electricity access.

Source:

World Bank, Intelpoint calculations

Period:

2000-2023
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