In Nigeria, approximately 55% of the population has access to electricity. However, this national average obscures the differences between urban and rural areas. In urban centers, which house 51% of the population, around 78% of residents have access to electricity.
Conversely, only 32% of rural inhabitants—who make up 49% of the population—enjoy the same privilege. This disparity has severe implications for the quality of life, economic opportunities, and access to essential services in rural areas.
While urban residents in cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt benefit from relatively better infrastructure and reliable power, rural communities continue to rely on alternative energy sources.
However, the Nigerian government recently acknowledged that more than 100 million people, out of the country’s approximately 230 million population, still lack access to a reliable power supply. The Nigerian power is attributed to intermittent supplies due to regular grid collapse and vandalisation.
Regional inequalities further exacerbated the gap between urban and rural electricity access. The southern regions, particularly the South West, have better access rates due to proximity to power generation facilities and infrastructure investments. For instance, urban access in the South West stands at 84%. In contrast, rural areas in the North East and North West regions suffer the most, with access rates as low as 18%.
These regional disparities are not just about electricity but reflect broader development challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, and limited government intervention in the northern regions.
