We mapped power reliability across African countries: and the range of power outages and electrification is staggering.
This maps uses original research aggregating 2022-2025 power reliability data across 52 African nations. Combines national statistics, utility reports, and regional analyses to quantify outage duration, revealing the infrastructure gap constraining industrialization.
Why this map matters: Power reliability is the invisible hand shaping where manufacturing scales, which cold chains survive, and where data centres locate.
Key Insights from 2022-2025 Data
Countries with reliable power:
Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Mauritius: 0 - 2 hours/ day without power
Rwanda: Approaching 100% electrification target
Ivory Coast: Net power exporter to 6 neighboring countries
Worsening Situations:
Nigeria - 258-304 days/year without power. Grid collapsed 100+ times in decade, 12 times in 2024 alone
Ghana - Dumsor crisis returned after years of stability
Tanzania - Climate exposing hydropower vulnerability (92-183 days)
Improving Situations:
South Africa - Dramatic improvement in 2024 (zero load shedding from April)
Kenya - Despite frequent blackouts, planned maintenance approach
Common Causes (2022-2025):
Climate Change:Â Droughts affecting hydropower (Tanzania, Zambia)
Extreme Weather:Â Cyclones damaging infrastructure (Tanzania)
Aging Infrastructure:Â Decades of underinvestment
Grid Interconnection Risks:Â Tanzania-Kenya blackouts
Financial Constraints:Â Debt preventing fuel purchases
Corruption & Mismanagement:Â Chronic governance issues
Data Table
Country | Hours/Day WITH Power | Hours/Day WITHOUT Power | Hours/Year WITHOUT | Days/Year WITHOUT (Avg) | Recent Year | Source |
Nigeria | 4-7 hours | 17-20 hours | ~6,200-7,300 hrs | ~258-304 days | 2024 | National Bureau of Statistics 2024; NOIPolls 2023 |
DR Congo | 4-12 hours | 12-20 hours | ~4,400-7,300 hrs | ~183-304 days | 2024 | African Exponent; News reports |
Central African Republic | 4-10 hours | 14-20 hours | ~5,100-7,300 hrs | ~213-304 days | 2024 | Africa Energy Portal; Freight News |
South Sudan | 0-6 hours | 18-24 hours | ~6,600-8,760 hrs | ~275-365 days | 2024 | African Power Platform (only 1% access) |
Sierra Leone | 8-14 hours | 10-16 hours | ~3,650-5,800 hrs | ~152-242 days | 2024 | Regional estimates; Les Africanistes Analysis |
Chad | 10-16 hours | 8-14 hours | ~2,900-5,100 hrs | ~121-213 days | 2024 | World Bank; RISE database |
South Africa (2023) | 12-24 hours | 0-12 hours | 6,950 hrs | 290 days | 2023 | Statista; Eskom; The Outlier |
South Africa (2024-2025) | 24 hours | 0 hours | ~0 hrs | 0 days | 2024 | DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED - Zero load shedding from April 2024 |
Mali | 6-18 hours | 6-18 hours | ~2,200-6,600 hrs | ~92-275 days | 2023-2024 | VOA Africa; Afrique Média; Bloomberg |
Tanzania | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2024-2025 | TANESCO; The Citizen Jan 2025 |
Zimbabwe | 12-16 hours | 8-12 hours | ~2,900-4,400 hrs | ~121-183 days | 2024 | Regional reports; The Zimbabwean |
Burundi | 12-16 hours | 8-12 hours | ~2,900-4,400 hrs | ~121-183 days | 2024 | World Bank; African Exponent |
Sudan | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2024-2025 | Sudan Tribune; Sinalda; Transnational Institute |
Madagascar | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2024 | CapMad News (Sept-Nov 2024) |
Libya | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2023-2024 | Libya Observer; US EIA Country Analysis |
Malawi | 8-16 hours | 8-16 hours | ~2,900-5,800 hrs | ~121-242 days | 2024 | ESCOM; AllAfrica; Nyasa Times |
Ghana | 12-20 hours | 4-12 hours | ~1,500-4,400 hrs | ~63-183 days | 2024-2025 | Graphic Online; GhanaWeb; GBC News |
Benin | 12-20 hours | 4-12 hours | ~1,500-4,400 hrs | ~63-183 days | 2024 | African Exponent; Sahara Reporters |
Togo | 12-20 hours | 4-12 hours | ~1,500-4,400 hrs | ~63-183 days | 2024 | Togo First; Regional reports |
Burkina Faso | 12-20 hours | 4-12 hours | ~1,500-4,400 hrs | ~63-183 days | 2024 | Crisis24; World Bank (87% firms experience outages) |
Cameroon | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2024-2025 | Business in Cameroon; Crisis24; VOA |
Angola | 14-20 hours | 4-10 hours | ~1,500-3,650 hrs | ~63-152 days | 2024 | Sinalda (36% electrification rate) |
Niger | 10-18 hours | 6-14 hours | ~2,200-5,100 hrs | ~92-213 days | 2024 | African Exponent; World Bank |
Republic of Congo | 10-18 hours | 6-14 hours | ~2,200-5,100 hrs | ~92-213 days | 2024 | Freight News; World Bank data |
Gambia | 12-18 hours | 6-12 hours | ~2,200-4,400 hrs | ~92-183 days | 2024 | Freight News; Access Gambia |
Liberia | 10-16 hours | 8-14 hours | ~2,900-5,100 hrs | ~121-213 days | 2024 | World Population Review; Africa Energy Portal |
Guinea-Bissau | 10-16 hours | 8-14 hours | ~2,900-5,100 hrs | ~121-213 days | 2024 | Regional estimates; World Bank |
Ivory Coast (Crisis Periods) | 6-18 hours | 6-18 hours | ~2,200-6,600 hrs | ~92-275 days | 2021, 2024 | TRT Global; Trade.gov; News24 |
Ivory Coast (Normal Years) | 22-24 hours | 0-2 hours | ~0-730 hrs | ~0-30 days | Most years | Net power exporter to 6 neighbors |
Zambia | 14-18 hours | 6-10 hours | ~2,200-3,650 hrs | ~92-152 days | 2023-2024 | Economia Politica journal; News reports |
Mauritania | 16-22 hours | 2-8 hours | ~730-2,900 hrs | ~30-121 days | 2024 | World Bank; Regional reports |
Mozambique | 16-22 hours | 2-8 hours | ~730-2,900 hrs | ~30-121 days | 2024 | African Energy; World Bank |
Gabon | 16-22 hours | 2-8 hours | ~730-2,900 hrs | ~30-121 days | 2024 | African Power Platform |
Kenya | 18-22 hours | 2-6 hours | ~730-2,200 hrs | ~30-92 days | 2024-2025 | Business Today Kenya; KPLC; CNBC Africa |
Comoros | 18-22 hours | 2-6 hours | ~730-2,200 hrs | ~30-92 days | 2024-2025 | CapMad News; Regional reports |
Botswana | 18-22 hours | 2-6 hours | ~730-2,200 hrs | ~30-92 days | 2023-2025 | The Namibian; Mmegi Online; AGOA.info |
Ethiopia | 18-24 hours | 0-6 hours | ~0-2,200 hrs | ~0-92 days | 2024 | TRT Afrika; Borkena; Addis Standard |
Djibouti | 18-24 hours | 0-6 hours | ~0-2,200 hrs | ~0-92 days | 2024 | Regional reports; interconnection data |
Eritrea | 16-22 hours | 2-8 hours | ~730-2,900 hrs | ~30-121 days | 2024 | Les Africanistes Internal Information |
Somalia | 10-18 hours | 6-14 hours | ~2,200-5,100 hrs | ~92-213 days | 2024 | Fragile state; limited infrastructure |
Rwanda | 20-24 hours | 0-4 hours | ~0-1,460 hrs | ~0-61 days | 2022-2024 | Rwanda Dispatch; Wikipedia; Energy in Rwanda |
Uganda | 20-24 hours | 0-4 hours | ~0-1,460 hrs | ~0-61 days | 2024 | UMEME; Regional reports |
Namibia | 20-24 hours | 0-4 hours | ~0-1,460 hrs | ~0-61 days | 2024 | ITWeb Africa; NamPower |
Senegal | 20-23 hours | 1-4 hours | ~365-1,460 hrs | ~15-61 days | 2024 | Crisis24; World Bank OMVS report |
Lesotho | 20-24 hours | 0-4 hours | ~0-1,460 hrs | ~0-61 days | 2024 | Regional reports; SADC data |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | 20-24 hours | 0-4 hours | ~0-1,460 hrs | ~0-61 days | 2024 | Regional reports; SADC data |
Mauritius | 22-24 hours | 0-2 hours | ~0-730 hrs | ~0-30 days | 2024-2025 | CEB Mauritius; Mauritius Business Resource |
Cape Verde | 22-24 hours | 0-2 hours | ~0-730 hrs | ~0-30 days | 2022-2024 | Rio Times; Africa Energy Portal |
Algeria | 22-24 hours | 0-2 hours | ~0-730 hrs | ~0-30 days | 2023-2024 | Sinalda; The New Arab |
Tunisia | 22-24 hours | 0-2 hours | ~0-730 hrs | ~0-30 days | 2023-2024 | Africanews; Batinfo |
Morocco | 23-24 hours | <1 hour | <300 hrs | <13 days | 2024 | Best performer in Africa |
Egypt | 22-24 hours | <2 hours | <500 hrs | <21 days | 2024 | Reuters Africa, Powercuts experienced due to fuel shortages |
Methodology and Sources:
Data Focus: Actual hours without electricity (not frequency)
Time Period: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Sources: National utilities, news reports, government data
Data Quality:
High Quality Data:
Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania: Detailed utility reports, government data
Multiple independent sources confirm figures
Medium Quality Data:
Ghana, Kenya, Zambia: News reports, some official data
Estimates based on frequent reporting
Low Quality Data:
DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Burundi: Limited official data
Estimates based on regional reports and anecdotal evidence
Limitations of Data:
Planned vs. unplanned outages not always distinguished
Rural vs. urban differences significant
Real-time data often unavailable
Some countries lack systematic tracking