Transmission and distribution losses — all countries

Transmission and distribution losses — Sub-Saharan Africa

Transmission and distribution losses in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 — 25.76%. Since 1971, the indicator has risen by 17.82 pp.

2024 25.76% +12.4 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 25.76%2024
Period minimum 6.6%1986

Trend over time

1971–2024 · % of output

Transmission and distribution losses — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1971–2024010203019711977198319891995200120072013201920241971: 7.94%1972: 7.33%1973: 7.55%1974: 7.4%1975: 7.69%1976: 7.71%1977: 7.62%1978: 8.13%1979: 9.1%1980: 9.16%1981: 9.73%1982: 8.59%1983: 9.14%1984: 8.65%1985: 8.42%1986: 6.6%1987: 7.53%1988: 7.4%1989: 7.66%1990: 7.84%1991: 8.36%1992: 9.18%1993: 8.65%1994: 9.24%1995: 8.15%1996: 9.07%1997: 9.25%1998: 9.74%1999: 9.81%2000: 10.36%2001: 10.45%2002: 9.58%2003: 10.66%2004: 12.19%2005: 11.15%2006: 11.26%2007: 10.77%2008: 11.45%2009: 12.23%2010: 12.01%2011: 11.73%2012: 11.66%2013: 11.61%2014: 12.2%2015: 11.88%2016: 12.34%2017: 11.8%2018: 12.28%2019: 12.24%2020: 13.32%2021: 13.31%2022: 13.28%2023: 13.36%2024: 25.76%
Change over the period: +17.82 pp Annual average: 0.34 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 25.76%
World 6.51%
Transmission and distribution losses — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 25.76 +12.4 pp
2023 13.36 +0.08 pp
2022 13.28 −0.03 pp
2021 13.31 −0.01 pp
2020 13.32 +1.08 pp
2019 12.24 −0.04 pp
2018 12.28 +0.48 pp
2017 11.8 −0.54 pp
2016 12.34 +0.46 pp
2015 11.88 −0.32 pp
2014 12.2 +0.59 pp
2013 11.61 −0.04 pp
2012 11.66 −0.07 pp
2011 11.73 −0.28 pp
2010 12.01 −0.22 pp
2009 12.23 +0.78 pp
2008 11.45 +0.68 pp
2007 10.77 −0.49 pp
2006 11.26 +0.11 pp
2005 11.15 −1.04 pp
2004 12.19 +1.53 pp
2003 10.66 +1.08 pp
2002 9.58 −0.87 pp
2001 10.45 +0.09 pp
2000 10.36 +0.55 pp
1999 9.81 +0.07 pp
1998 9.74 +0.5 pp
1997 9.25 +0.18 pp
1996 9.07 +0.92 pp
1995 8.15 −1.09 pp
1994 9.24 +0.59 pp
1993 8.65 −0.53 pp
1992 9.18 +0.83 pp
1991 8.36 +0.52 pp
1990 7.84 +0.18 pp
1989 7.66 +0.26 pp
1988 7.4 −0.13 pp
1987 7.53 +0.93 pp
1986 6.6 −1.82 pp
1985 8.42 −0.24 pp
1984 8.65 −0.49 pp
1983 9.14 +0.55 pp
1982 8.59 −1.15 pp
1981 9.73 +0.57 pp
1980 9.16 +0.07 pp
1979 9.1 +0.97 pp
1978 8.13 +0.51 pp
1977 7.62 −0.09 pp
1976 7.71 +0.01 pp
1975 7.69 +0.3 pp
1974 7.4 −0.15 pp
1973 7.55 +0.21 pp
1972 7.33 −0.61 pp
1971 7.94

About the indicator

Electricity losses in transmission and distribution as a percent of output. The figure includes both physical losses in wires and transformers and so-called commercial losses — unmetered consumption, illegal connections, unpaid bills. Statistics cannot separate them, and that is exactly why the indicator serves as an indirect measure of the state of the network: physical losses in a sound grid rarely exceed eight percent, while values above twenty almost always mean problems with metering and bill collection.

Important: Technical and commercial losses together; the source does not allow them to be separated. Aggregates are weighted by generation in terawatt-hours and computed from 2000 onward.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.