Nearly 600 million Africans live without electricity
Africa continues to experience the largest energy access gap globally though access to electricity increased from approximately 46 per cent in 2015 to about 53 per cent in 2023, yet
Africa continues to experience the largest energy access gap globally though access to electricity increased from approximately 46 per cent in 2015 to about 53 per cent in 2023, yet nearly 600 million people remain without electricity.
Urban electrification rates exceed 80 per cent, while rural access remains below 40 per cent in many countries, emphasizing persistent spatial and income inequalities, according to the 2026 Africa Sustainable Development Report released at the weekend.
The report which was jointly produced by the African Union (AU), African Development Bank (AfDB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), stated that despite vast renewable energy potential, Africa’s renewable energy capacity per capita remains low – around 40 watts per person compared with a global average of almost 480 watts. Recent assessments indicate a reverse trend in the renewable energy share of total final energy consumption, reflecting investment gaps, grid integration challenges and affordability constraints.
It said Africa’s infrastructure, industrialization gaps still persisted. Limited transport, energy and industrial infrastructure have continued to constrain productivity, trade competitiveness and regional integration.
The manufacturing value added accounts for less than 11 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on the continent, compared with over 16 per cent globally, reflecting limited industrial diversification.
Infrastructure gaps persist, particularly in transport, energy and logistics, increasing the cost of trade and production. Access to finance remains a major constraint: fewer than 20 per cent of small-scale industries in many countries report access to formal credit.
It noted that digital connectivity is advancing faster than other SDG 9 dimensions. Progress under SDG 9 remains uneven and insufficient to support Africa’s structural transformation.
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“One notable area of advancement is digital connectivity: access to information and communications technology is assessed to be on track with 92.8 per cent of the African population covered by at least one 2G network by 2023. This expansion has supported digital services and new economic opportunities,” the report stated.
The report noted that clean cooking access remains critically low; progress in clean cooking remains critically slow. “Only about 34 per cent of Africans had access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2023, leaving more than 970 million people reliant on traditional biomass and other polluting fuels.
“Household air pollution linked to these fuels contributes to an estimated 400,000 premature deaths annually, with disproportionate impacts on women and children,” the report stated.
Annual investment in energy access is estimated at $4 billion, far below the amount required to achieve SDG 7 by 2030. “Without a rapid scale-up of financing and regional energy integration, energy poverty risks becoming further entrenched,” it warned.
