Southern African countries where millions still lack electricity

Millions of people across Southern Africa still do not have access to electricity, with some countries recording particularly large gaps despite efforts to expand power infrastructure.

The latest World Bank data shows significant differences in electricity access across the region, with access ranging from just 15.6% in Malawi to more than 90% in South Africa.

The World Bank’s electricity-access indicator measures the percentage of the population with access to electricity and is based on the Tracking SDG 7 dataset.

Malawi has one of the region’s biggest electricity gaps

Malawi stands out as one of the countries with the lowest electricity-access rates in Southern Africa.

Only 15.6% of Malawi’s population had access to electricity in 2024, according to the World Bank.

That means more than four out of every five people were without access.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) also has a major electricity-access deficit, with just 22.5% of its population having access to electricity in 2024.

The DRC’s huge population means that its percentage translates into tens of millions of people without electricity.

Mozambique and Tanzania also face major gaps

Mozambique recorded electricity access of 36.9% in 2024, meaning more than 60% of its population was still without access.

Tanzania’s access rate was considerably higher at 52.4%, but almost half of the country’s population remained without power.

Zambia recorded an access rate of 53.6%, while Angola stood at 55.5%.

How Southern African countries compare

Country	Population with electricity access
Malawi	15.6%
DRC	22.5%
Mozambique	36.9%
Tanzania	52.4%
Zambia	53.6%
Angola	55.5%
Namibia	59.3%
Lesotho	60.6%
Zimbabwe	62.0%
Botswana	80.2%
Eswatini	89.3%
South Africa	90.2%

Source: World Bank, latest available 2024 data.

Zimbabwe has a sizeable electricity-access gap

Zimbabwe recorded electricity access of 62% in 2024, according to the World Bank.

That means roughly 38% of the population did not have access to power, putting Zimbabwe behind Botswana, Eswatini and South Africa, but ahead of several other countries in the region.

South Africa, meanwhile, recorded 90.2% access, while Botswana reached 80.2% and Eswatini 89.3%.

Africa accounts for most of the global electricity gap

The power-access challenge extends well beyond Southern Africa.

The World Bank-led Tracking SDG 7 report found that 666 million people globally were still without power in 2023, with 85% of them living in sub-Saharan Africa.

The report says people without power are disproportionately concentrated in remote areas, places affected by conflict and violence, and low-income regions.

It also highlights decentralised renewable-energy solutions, including solar home systems and solar mini-grids, as potential ways of reaching communities that are difficult to connect to conventional electricity grids.