Lighting Africa: How much does electricity cost across Africa?

Electricity prices play a vital role in the growth and development of countries worldwide. Higher prices increase energy costs for individuals, households, and businesses. As more money is spent on power, these costs reduce access to other basic goods and services. Higher prices also push households towards unhealthy fuels for cooking and lighting.

In Africa, electricity prices vary between countries, with the average price among 33 countries with data being $0.121 per kWh. 

Sixteen countries recorded above-average prices. Cabo Verde, an island nation heavily dependent on imported fuel, faced the continent’s highest electricity costs at $0.32 per kWh. Kenya followed at $0.256, reflecting the country’s reliance on costly generation inputs, taxes, and grid inefficiencies despite its growing geothermal sector 

Other countries with significantly high electricity prices include: Sierra Leone at $0.253 per kWh, Mali at $0.223 per kWh, Burkina Faso at $0.21 per kWh, Gabon at $0.21 per kWh, Togo at $0.197 per kWh, Rwanda at $0.193 per kWh, and South Africa at $0.191 per kWh. 

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Ethiopia had the lowest electricity price in 2024, at $0.003 per kWh, and Sudan had the second lowest, at $0.006 per kWh. 

Other notable African countries with low electricity prices include: Libya at $0.008 per kWh, Angola at $0.013 per kWh, Nigeria at $0.014 per kWh, Egypt at $0.019 per kWh, Zambia at $0.021 per kWh, and Algeria at $0.04 per kWh. 

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Electricity tariffs remain one of Africa’s biggest cost factors, shaping everything from household welfare to industrial competitiveness. Governments face a delicate balancing act: setting prices high enough to attract private investment yet low enough to remain affordable for consumers. Renewable energy, especially solar and wind, has been widely promoted as a solution to ease these pressures, offering the promise of cheaper, cleaner, and more sustainable power yet adoption has lagged behind due to high upfront costs, limited access to affordable finance leaving the continent’s abundant sunlight untapped.

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About the Data

This article is based on a dataset curated from world population review and a study by best broad band deals of data containing electricity prices in Africa from 2021 to 2024. The measurement units are USD per kWh. 

Find the data here

Cover Photo by John Day on Unsplash