Top 10 African countries with the cheapest electricity prices in Q3 2026

Africa recorded an average electricity price of $0.141 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for residential consumers and $0.134 per kWh for businesses in the third quarter of 2026.

This is according to GlobalPetrolPrices data updated on October 5, 2026.

Despite the continental averages, electricity prices vary significantly across African countries, with Ethiopia, Angola and Sudan recording some of the lowest residential rates in the supplied country data.

Ethiopia has the lowest residential electricity price at $0.006 per kWh, while Angola records the lowest commercial rate at $0.013 per kWh.

Here are the 10 African countries with the cheapest electricity prices, ranked from 10th to 1st based on residential rates.

Cameroon ranks tenth on our list, with residential electricity priced at $0.085 per kWh and commercial electricity at $0.179 per kWh.

Its residential tariff is below the stated African average of $0.141 per kWh. However, its commercial rate exceeds the continental business average of $0.134 per kWh, making it the only country in the ranking with a commercial electricity tariff above that benchmark.

In July, reports emerged that Cameroon planned to increase its energy subsidy budget to 340 billion CFA francs in 2027, reversing years of cuts and maintaining state support for fuel and electricity prices.

The proposed allocation is 30 billion CFA francs higher than the 310 billion CFA francs budgeted for 2026, according to the country’s 2027–2029 Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document.

The increase forms part of a broader rise in government transfers and subsidies, projected to reach 1,246.6 billion CFA francs in 2027, up from 1,202.2 billion CFA francs in 2026.

Cameroon’s state-owned electricity utility, Socadel, had 1,090,654 customers with prepaid meters as of the end of September 2026, out of a total customer base of 2,431,711.

According to figures released by the company on October 8, prepaid meters accounted for 44.85% of all electricity subscriptions.

Socadel replaced Eneo in 2026 after the Cameroonian government took over the electricity operator.

Tunisia, in North Africa, has a residential electricity tariff of $0.067 per kWh and a commercial rate of $0.116 per kWh. Both rates are below the stated African averages of $0.141 per kWh for households and $0.134 per kWh for businesses.

While Tunisia’s commercial tariff is relatively close to the continental benchmark, its residential rate is considerably lower, making electricity more affordable for households based on the stated figures.

However, lower tariffs have not shielded the country from pressure on its electricity supply. In July, Tunisian authorities resorted to rolling power cuts amid a severe heatwave, as electricity demand surged more than 30% above normal levels, triggering disruptions and outages in several areas.

With temperatures reaching record highs during the peak summer consumption period, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) introduced load management measures through scheduled power cuts to ease pressure on the national grid and reduce the risk of a nationwide blackout.

Earlier in the year, Tunisia’s parliament approved a $430 million loan for STEG to strengthen its financial position and sustain investment in electricity infrastructure. Officials have stressed that improving the company’s financial capacity is essential to maintaining energy security and ensuring a reliable electricity supply.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has residential electricity priced at $0.066 per kWh and commercial electricity at $0.077 per kWh.

Both tariffs are below the stated African averages of $0.141 per kWh for households and $0.134 per kWh for businesses. The commercial rate is only slightly higher than the residential tariff, reflecting relatively low electricity prices across both customer categories.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the DRC is pursuing reforms to strengthen electricity sector regulation, improve the financial sustainability of utilities, attract investment and expand access to electricity.

As part of these efforts, President Félix Tshisekedi recently directed an accelerated rollout of agreements and legal reforms for the Grand Inga hydropower project. The directive followed reports that the DRC and South Africa would resume discussions on the Inga 3 phase.

At a Council of Ministers meeting on March 20, Tshisekedi instructed relevant ministries and the Kongo Central provincial government to finalise cooperation agreements with the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Grand Inga Project within 60 days.

Inga 3 remains in the preparation phase, with its final design still under consideration. Its planned generating capacity ranges from approximately 3,000 megawatts to more than 10,000 megawatts, while the total project cost is expected to exceed $10 billion.

To support preparations, the World Bank has backed a phased financing programme that could reach $1 billion. This includes an initial $250 million tranche approved in 2025 to strengthen institutions, prepare infrastructure and address social and environmental risks.

The project is expected to play a significant role in expanding the DRC’s electricity generation capacity, although its ultimate contribution will depend on financing, implementation and the development of transmission infrastructure to deliver power to consumers.

Algeria ranks seventh, with a residential electricity price of $0.041 per kWh and a commercial rate of $0.035 per kWh.

Unlike most countries on the list, Algeria’s commercial electricity price is lower than its residential rate. Both prices remain well below the stated continental averages.

Nigeria has residential electricity costing $0.036 per kWh and commercial electricity priced at $0.050 per kWh. These rates are approximately 74.5% and 62.7% below the respective African averages of $0.141 and $0.134 per kWh.

However, relatively low tariffs do not necessarily translate into cheaper or more reliable electricity for consumers. Grid supply constraints and the cost of alternative power sources, including petrol and diesel generators, can significantly increase the overall energy expenses of households and businesses.

The country’s subsidised electricity tariffs also carry a substantial fiscal burden. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reported that the Federal Government’s electricity subsidy liability reached approximately N1.92 trillion in 2025, reflecting the gap between the cost of supplying electricity and the regulated tariffs paid by consumers.

The subsidy burden has increased considerably in recent years, rising from about N650 billion in 2023 to N1.94 trillion in 2024 before settling at roughly N1.92 trillion in 2025.

Quarterly figures for 2025 show that subsidy obligations stood at N536.4 billion in the first quarter, N514.35 billion in the second, N458.75 billion in the third and N418.79 billion in the fourth quarter. The figures indicate a gradual decline in quarterly obligations over the year, although the overall cost remains significant.

Nigeria introduced a band-based electricity tariff system in 2024, grouping customers according to the expected duration of daily power supply. Under the arrangement, Band A customers, who are expected to receive at least 20 hours of electricity daily, have moved closer to cost-reflective tariffs, while customers in lower bands continue to benefit from greater tariff protection.

The policy reflects the government’s attempt to balance the financial sustainability of the electricity sector with consumers’ ability to pay. However, the persistent subsidy burden highlights the challenge of maintaining affordable tariffs while ensuring that electricity providers have sufficient revenue to improve supply and infrastructure.

For Nigeria, the key issue is therefore not simply the price consumers pay per kilowatt-hour, but whether the electricity they receive is reliable enough to reduce their dependence on expensive alternatives.

Zambia ranks fifth, with a residential electricity price of $0.024 per kWh and a commercial rate of $0.041 per kWh.

The country’s reported household and business rates are both substantially below the stated African averages, placing Zambia among the countries with lower electricity prices in the comparison.

Egypt, from North Africa, ranks fourth on the list, with residential electricity priced at $0.023 per kWh and commercial electricity at $0.039 per kWh. Both rates are significantly below the stated African averages of $0.141 per kWh for households and $0.134 per kWh for businesses. Egypt’s residential tariff is less than one-fifth of the continental household average.

Despite these relatively low prices, the government has adjusted electricity tariffs to address financial pressures across the energy sector. In July, Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy announced that tariffs would remain unchanged for the lowest household consumption bracket, while rates for other residential users would increase by an average of 12%.

The ministry said the revised tariffs were intended to support the stability of electricity supply and the financial sustainability of the country’s electricity and renewable energy network, including power generation, transmission and distribution.

The adjustment followed an earlier increase in April, when Egypt raised electricity prices for higher-consumption households and commercial users by an average of 16% to 20%. The government cited a global energy crisis linked to the war in the Gulf region, which had more than doubled the country’s energy import bill.

The tariff adjustments highlight Egypt’s efforts to balance relatively affordable electricity prices for consumers with the rising costs of energy imports and the need to maintain a financially sustainable power sector.

Sudan has residential electricity priced at $0.019 per kWh and commercial electricity at $0.042 per kWh. Its residential rate is below $0.02 per kWh, while its commercial tariff is also significantly lower than the stated African business average of $0.134 per kWh.

Despite these relatively low electricity prices, Sudan’s power sector has suffered extensive damage since the outbreak of the conflict, with losses estimated at $3 billion. The destruction has forced businesses, telecommunications companies and households to increasingly rely on solar energy, despite high installation costs and supply chain bottlenecks.

A report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sudan said widespread damage to the national grid and power generation infrastructure had driven a sharp increase in solar panel imports. The shift reflects efforts by households and businesses to bypass deteriorating electricity infrastructure and reduce their dependence on increasingly expensive diesel.

According to the UNDP, Sudan’s installed solar capacity reached approximately 190 megawatts (MW) by 2025. However, this remains far below the country’s pre-war renewable energy ambitions, which targeted 3,300 MW of capacity by 2033, including 2,190 MW from solar power.

The figures highlight the gap between Sudan’s renewable energy ambitions and its current capacity, as conflict-related damage continues to undermine the national electricity system and push consumers towards alternative sources of power.

Angola ranks second for residential electricity prices, with a tariff of $0.016 per kWh, while its commercial electricity rate stands at $0.013 per kWh. The commercial rate is the lowest among the 10 countries listed. Both tariffs are substantially below the stated African averages of $0.141 per kWh for households and $0.134 per kWh for businesses.

Despite its relatively low electricity prices, Angola is pursuing plans to expand power generation capacity to meet rising demand. In May 2026, the government announced plans to increase installed generation capacity from 6.4 gigawatts (GW) to 9 GW by 2027, according to Angop.

The expansion is expected to be driven by two major hydropower projects: the 2.2 GW Caculo Cabaça plant on the Middle Kwanza River and the 881-megawatt (MW) Baynes hydropower project on the Cunene River, along the border between Angola and Namibia.

Construction of the Caculo Cabaça project began in 2017, with completion expected by October 2026. The project was initially scheduled to begin operations in 2024. Meanwhile, the Baynes project is a joint initiative between Angola and Namibia, with a final investment decision expected in 2026 and construction scheduled to begin in 2027.

Angola is also pursuing a long-term energy transition strategy. In 2023, the government launched its Angola 2050 Long-Term Strategy, replacing the Angola Energy 2025 Vision, which aimed to raise the electrification rate to about 60% and increase installed generation capacity to 9.9 GW by 2025.

Under the new strategy, Angola aims for renewables to account for 95% of newly installed power generation capacity by 2050. The targets reflect the country’s efforts to expand electricity generation while increasing the contribution of renewable energy to its power mix.

Ethiopia ranks first among the 10 countries compared, with residential electricity priced at $0.006 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and commercial electricity at $0.019 per kWh. Its residential tariff is the lowest in the ranking, at less than one US cent per kWh, while its commercial rate is also significantly below the stated African business average of $0.134 per kWh.

The country’s low electricity prices contrast with rising regional demand for its power supply. In July 2026, Kenya Power announced plans to import an additional 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Ethiopia from December, increasing its contracted capacity to 400 MW during peak demand periods.

The expansion builds on a 20-year power purchase agreement signed by Kenya and Ethiopia in 2022, which initially provided for 200 MW of electricity imports. Under the revised arrangement, supply is expected to reach 400 MW during peak hours and fall to 150 MW during off-peak periods.

The additional imports are expected to help Kenya meet rising electricity demand and ease pressure on domestic generation. The country’s peak power demand reached a record 2,439 MW in December 2025, underscoring its growing reliance on regional electricity imports to support supply.

Ethiopia’s position as the lowest-cost residential electricity provider in the ranking highlights the potential role of its power sector in regional energy trade, as neighbouring countries seek additional supplies to meet growing demand.

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