Access to electricity stagnates, leaving globally 730 million in the dark

Latest IEA data show that 730 million people worldwide still lacked access to electricity in 2024, a decline of only 11 million from 2023. This pace is slower than the annual progress achieved before the pandemic and confirms the IEA’s earlier estimates. Preliminary 2025 data suggest the trend will continue. Progress remains fragile. In many sub-Saharan African countries, population growth continues to outpace electrification. Debt burdens, which were still elevated after the Covid-19 pandemic and the global energy crisis, along with cuts in international aid are weighing on progress. As a result, the number of people without access to electricity has remained largely unchanged since 2020.