Report: Only 51% of Nigerian households have access to electricity

Only about 51 percent of Nigerian households have access to electricity, the newly released 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) has revealed.

The survey, conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Global Fund, provides key insights into the country’s energy access and usage.

This 2024 edition marks the sixth in a series of Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Nigeria since 1990 under The DHS Programme.

According to the findings, 98 percent of the household population utilize clean fuels or technologies for lighting, including electricity, solar lanterns, rechargeable flashlights, battery-powered torches, and biogas lamps.

However, only 22 percent of the household population use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, with a stark divide between urban and rural areas—42 percent in urban households compared to just 5 percent in rural ones.

The survey also shows that a mere 7 percent of households use clean fuels for space heating. The gap remains wide here as well, with 16 percent of urban dwellers having access to clean heating technologies, while only 4 percent of rural households benefit from such.

Overall, just 22 percent of the household population in Nigeria use clean fuels and technologies across cooking, heating, and lighting, reflecting a major challenge in the country’s drive toward sustainable energy access and environmental health.

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Reporting by Agnes Ekebuike Editor, Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.