Malawi’s electricity access held at 15.6% of population in 2024.

Higher is better. A higher share means more people can light their homes, charge phones, run appliances and power small businesses, so a rising figure is good news. The latest figure for 2024 is 15.6% of population, the same as the 15.6% of population a year earlier, a change of 0 percentage points. Since 2015 the series has ranged from a low of 10.8% of population in 2015 to a high of 18% of population in 2018. The current level sits above the 2015 low and below the 2018 high.

Why it matters. At 15.6% of population, most Malawian households light their homes and cook using sources other than electricity. Shops, workshops and clinics outside connected areas have to rely on other fuels or limit their hours to daylight. The state faces a large connection gap, and the figure stood higher in 2018 than it does now.