In 2022, electricity consumption in the Central African Republic was just **27 kWh per person**, with the supplied figures indicating that essentially all of it came from low-carbon generation and close to none from fossil fuels. Although this is a clean electricity mix, the quantity available is extremely small: less than 1% of the global average of **3,794 kWh per person**, or roughly 140 times lower. Such limited electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, refrigeration, business activity and access to digital services. Expanding clean electricity generation and access is therefore essential.

Is Electricity Growing in Central African Republic?

Electricity consumption per person is **not growing relative to its historical peak**. The 2022 figure of 27 kWh was about 30% below the record of 39 kWh reached in 2011—a decline of 12 kWh per person. Low-carbon generation per person was also below its 2014 record, falling from about 37 kWh to 27 kWh, or roughly a quarter. These comparisons show a worrying loss of ground, although they do not establish whether total national generation declined, since population changes also affect per-person figures.

Suggestions

The Central African Republic should prioritize expanding solar electricity alongside its existing hydropower, supported by stronger grids, battery storage and local mini-grids for underserved communities. South Africa provides a relevant African example, with the supplied figures showing about **20 TWh of solar, 12 TWh of wind and 12 TWh of nuclear electricity**. Its experience offers lessons in developing a diverse low-carbon electricity supply, while local resource assessments could identify promising wind sites in the Central African Republic. India, with about 205 TWh of solar electricity, also offers a useful example of large-scale solar deployment. Nuclear should be considered as part of longer-term electricity planning, drawing on experience from South Africa and France, where nuclear generation reached about 376 TWh. These examples illustrate possibilities rather than targets to copy directly; expansion should match local demand and support growing electrification.

History

The supplied history shows an increase of **0.1 TWh in hydropower generation in 2000**, followed by no reported annual changes from 2001 through 2018. The next listed observation, for 2022, also records no change; the intervening years are not provided. At the precision shown, this is a history dominated by stagnation rather than sustained growth in low-carbon electricity. The early hydropower gain was welcome, but the subsequent lack of recorded expansion underscores the need for renewed investment in clean electricity generation and delivery.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade