Where household electricity access expanded in Central Africa
Electricity access reached an estimated 95.1% of the population in Gabon and 72.0% in Cameroon in 2024. In Chad and the Central African Republic, it was below one in five.
Sources checked
Central Africa Record Editorial Team
2024Population with electricity access by country
Gabon95.1%
Cameroon72%
Republic of the Congo53%
DR Congo22.5%
Central African Republic18.2%
Chad13.4%
The 2024 comparison gives the estimated percentage of people with electricity access.
The estimate rose from 41.0% in 2000 to 58.6% in 2015 and 72.0% in 2024. Gabon also increased, from 73.6% to 95.1%. The difference between the two narrowed from 32.6 points to 23.1 points. Source 1
The two Congos followed distinct paths
The Republic of the Congo was at 53.0% in 2024, up from 29.4% in 2000. DR Congo moved from 6.7% to 22.5%. National population size differs, so the same change in points would correspond to different numbers of people. Source 1
Access does not measure how many hours the power stays on
A household can count as having access even when outages or service limits constrain its electricity use. Information on hours of service, affordability and connection capacity answers separate questions about service quality. Source 2
National data can mask the geography of new connections
An increase can come from a grid extension, connections in previously served areas or off-grid services. To locate the improvement, use district or rural and urban records and distinguish households connected from households with power available. Source 2