Electricity affordability remains a major factor influencing household welfare, industrial productivity, and economic competitiveness across Africa.
According to data from Global Petrol Prices, updated for the first quarter of 2026, several African countries continue to offer electricity at rates significantly below both the global and continental averages.
The rankings are based on average residential and commercial electricity tariffs measured in U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The data highlights substantial differences in pricing structures across the continent, with countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, Angola, and Zambia maintaining some of the lowest electricity costs for consumers and businesses alike.
10. Cameroon – Residential: $0.088/kWh; Commercial: $0.180/kWh
9. DRCongo – Residential: $0.072/kWh; Commercial: $0.084/kWh
8. Tunisia – Residential: $0.068/kWh; Commercial: $0.121/kWh
7. Sudan – Residential: $0.044/kWh; Commercial: $0.056/kWh
6. Algeria – Residential: $0.042/kWh; Commercial: $0.035/kWh
5. Nigeria – Residential: $0.037/kWh; Commercial: $0.048/kWh
4. Angola – Residential: $0.030/kWh; Commercial: $0.025/kWh
3. Zambia – Residential: $0.024/kWh; Commercial: $0.048/kW
2. Egypt – Residential: $0.021/kWh; Commercial: $0.039/kWh
1. Ethiopia – Residential: $0.006/kWh; Commercial: $0.014/kWh
Credit: Nairametrics
