Tanzania’s electricity access rose to 52.4% of population in 2024.

Higher is better. A higher share means more people can light their homes, charge phones, refrigerate food and run machines, so a rising figure is an improvement. The latest figure is 52.4% of population in 2024, against 48.3% of population a year earlier, a rise of 4.1 percentage points. Since 2015 the lowest figure was 26.2% of population, recorded in 2015. The 2024 figure is also the highest in that span, so access sits at the top of its own range.

Why it matters. Just over half of Tanzanians now have access to electricity, which leaves a large part of the population relying on other sources for light and power. For households with a connection, evening study, phone charging and food storage become easier. For small firms such as shops, mills and workshops, a connection decides whether they can use powered equipment. For the state, a rise of 4.1 percentage points in one year shows the pace at which grid and local supply extension is reaching people.