Sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for 86 percent of the world’s electricity access deficit, with progress in expanding power connections lagging behind other regions, according to the latest Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026.
The report, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), World Bank and World Health Organization, said the number of people without electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa declined only slightly from 565 million in 2010 to 563 million in 2024.
The region’s share of the global electricity access gap increased from 49 percent in 2010 to 86 percent in 2024, as other parts of the world recorded faster improvements in electrification.
“Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of the global electricity access deficit increased from 49 percent to 86 percent during this period,” the report said, noting that progress in the region has been too slow to keep pace with global gains.
Nigeria, DR Congo and Ethiopia drive the deficit
The electricity access challenge is heavily concentrated in a small number of countries.
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The report said the 20 countries with the largest electricity access deficits account for more than three-quarters of the global total, with 18 of them located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia alone represent nearly one-third of the global electricity access gap.
Nigeria has around 87 million people without electricity access, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has about 85 million and Ethiopia about 57 million.
The report warned that current investment levels remain far below what is needed to achieve universal electricity access by 2030.
Countries would need to more than triple the current pace of electrification progress to about 1.35 percentage points annually to meet the target.
Rural communities remain most affected
Although the global electricity access rate has stabilised at around 92 percent, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the only region where the rural electricity deficit worsened between 2010 and 2024.
The number of rural residents without electricity increased from 376 million to 447 million during the period, highlighting persistent inequality between urban and rural communities.
The report said expanding electricity generation alone would not solve the problem, stressing the need for affordable, reliable and accessible power services for low-income households.
Countries that achieved stronger progress combined several approaches, including long-term electrification planning, dedicated funding mechanisms, blended finance, targeted subsidies, pay-as-you-go financing models, social tariffs and effective regulation.
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Push for faster electrification
The findings support initiatives such as Mission 300, a joint effort by the African Development Bank and World Bank aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
Energy experts say Africa’s challenge is not only increasing power generation but also building affordable distribution networks that can reach remote communities.
The report concludes that achieving universal access will require stronger investment, improved policy frameworks and innovative financing models to ensure electricity reaches households that remain disconnected from the grid.
