October 10, 2025

Global electricity

 Axios - The number of people worldwide without access to electricity has "remained largely unchanged since 2020" after falling steeply for many years, an International Energy Agency analysis finds.

The problem remains especially acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where population growth is essentially offsetting new electricity collections, it finds.

  • Lack of access to electricity is a chief concern of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and the future of Africa's market affects U.S. infrastructure providers.

Looking at the data through other lenses reveals a mixed picture.

  • Access in sub-Saharan Africa grew from around 30% of the population in 2012 to 50% in 2024.
  • Yet "average household consumption has fallen by around a quarter during the same period."

"Over the past decade, electricity tariffs in many African countries have increased more rapidly than household income, reducing their ability to pay and forcing them to cut back on consumption."

Basic access, while vital, is only part of the story on lifting economies.

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