Access to Electricity in Ghana
The National Electrification Scheme (NES), implemented in 1989 to ensure reliable electricity supply across Ghana by 2020, has made significant strides in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7). As NES commenced in 1990, only approximately 20% of the population had access to electricity. The country has achieved a commendable record, boasting the highest electricity access rate in sub-Saharan Africa. While the original goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2020 has been extended to 2025, estimates based on the projected population for 2023 indicate that more than 3.5 million Ghanaians remain without electricity access.
Breakdown of the population’s electricity access:
- National: 88.85%
- Rural: 76.2%
- Urban: 100%
Accessibility Across Regions in Percentages
Grid Electricity Customer Population
In Ghana, the grid customer population is predominantly residential. For 2022, about 86% of the total customers belonged to the residential category. However, in terms of electricity consumption, the non-residential sector is bigger, making up around 62% in 2022.
Electricity Access Rate (%)
The original target for Ghana, aligned with the National Electrification Scheme (NES), was universal access to electricity by 2020. By 2017, urban areas had already achieved 100% access, while rural areas lagged. In 2020, the overall access rate was 85.33%, missing the 100% target. Consequently, the goal of universal access was postponed to 2025.