AD1203: Rural citizens bear the brunt as most Ethiopians still lack reliable electricity supply
Ethiopia faces a significant energy deficit despite its vast renewable energy potential and the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The report identifies government monopolies and inadequate financing as primary barriers to achieving reliable national electricity access.
Why it matters
Addresses the critical intersection of infrastructure development, economic growth, and regional geopolitical tensions in Africa.
Although the world is making progress toward the United Nations (2023) Sustainable Development Goals in energy, 675 million people still lack electricity, most of them in sub Saharan Africa (Baskaran & Coste, 2024).
Ethiopia is at the forefront of the electrification challenge. Despite expansion of the national power grid over the past decade, the country has the third-largest energy-access deficit in sub-Saharan Africa; about half of the population lack access to reliable electricity, making it hard for many citizens to find economic opportunities and escape poverty (World Bank, 2024).
Ethiopia has significant potential for renewable energy, with estimates that it is capable of generating more than 60,000 megawatts (MW) from hydropower, wind, solar, and geothermal sources. About 90% of its current generation is derived from hydropower (International Trade Administration, 2024). However, Ethiopia is only producing 9,761MW at present, less than one-sixth of its potential (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, 2025).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in