Keypoints:
- 92 percent of global population now has power
- Sub-Saharan Africa home to 85 percent of unconnected
- IEA urges renewables, off-grid expansion and reforms
AS the world celebrates major gains in electricity access, Africa is being urged to lead the next phase of progress by closing its power access gap by 2030. That’s the central message from the Energy Progress Report 2025, released on June 25 by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which shows that 92 percent of the global population now has access to electricity.
The IEA calls this a ‘positive trend’—but warns that the current pace is not fast enough to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) targets. The majority of those still unconnected are in sub-Saharan Africa, living in remote areas and facing economic or conflict-related barriers.
‘New efforts must focus on sub-Saharan Africa, and especially on the countries with the greatest access gaps,’ the report says.
Sub-Saharan Africa at the centre of energy equity
With 565 million people still lacking electricity, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 85 percent of the global access deficit. But the IEA says this challenge can be overcome with targeted investment, policy reform, and decentralised energy solutions.
Here’s a snapshot of the region’s progress:
- North Africa reduced its deficit from 25 million in 2010 to 18 million in 2023, led by Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
- Eastern Africa improved access, cutting its gap from 272 million to 241 million.
- Central Africa saw setbacks, with its deficit rising from 101 million in 2010 to 130 million in 2023.
- West Africa recorded mixed results: from 179 million in 2010 to 186 million in 2021, then improving slightly to 184 million in 2023.
- Southern Africa remained stable with a 10 million deficit.
The three countries with the largest electricity deficits—Nigeria (86.6 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (79.6 million), and Ethiopia (56.4 million)—account for over one-third of the world’s total unconnected population.
A growing continent, an urgent need
Africa, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, is the world’s fastest-growing continent. Yet the growth in power access hasn’t kept pace with population increases. The IEA notes that 84 percent of those without electricity in Africa live in rural areas where grid extension is costly and often unreliable.
Still, momentum is building. The 2025 Dar es Salaam Declaration, endorsed by 48 African countries, outlines commitments to expand electricity access as part of the continent’s development agenda.
Decentralised power holds the key
The report stresses that off-grid solar systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions will be essential in rapidly closing the gap. Grid expansion alone, it says, is too expensive and slow for many remote regions.
‘Electrification programmes have long relied on grid extension, but recent experience in sub-Saharan Africa shows decentralised approaches are faster and more effective,’ the IEA notes.
It also calls for stronger data systems, more flexible funding mechanisms, and removal of regulatory bottlenecks. Blended finance and innovation, combined with traditional investment, will be crucial in building resilient energy systems.
Opportunity in urgency
The IEA report concludes on a hopeful note: Africa can still achieve universal electricity access by 2030—if national governments, donors, and investors act decisively now.
‘Scaling up clean energy access will not only meet SDG 7 targets, but also help tackle broader development, environmental, and economic challenges,’ it states.
As global attention turns to sustainability, Africa has a unique opportunity to leapfrog outdated systems and lead the world in inclusive, low-carbon electrification.
