In 2022, Chad’s electricity consumption was just 21 kWh per person, compared with a global average of 3,794 kWh—less than 1% of the average, or roughly 180 times lower. Low-carbon electricity generation was only about 1 kWh per person, equivalent to around 5% of consumption. The supplied figures do not give a complete breakdown of fossil electricity, so its exact share cannot be established here. Nevertheless, clean electricity generation was clearly extremely limited. Such low electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, irrigation, business development and access to digital services.

Is Electricity Growing in Chad?

Electricity consumption per person is not growing in the latest figures: it fell from the record of 24 kWh in 2021 to 21 kWh in 2022, a decline of about 13%. Low-carbon generation also shows no improvement over its previous record: the 2022 figure of 1 kWh per person matched the level reached in 2016. This combination of declining consumption and stagnant clean generation is concerning, especially given Chad’s need for much greater electricity access. These per-person figures alone, however, do not establish whether total national electricity generation declined.

Suggestions

Chad should prioritize expanding solar electricity through both grid-connected projects and local mini-grids, alongside stronger transmission and distribution networks. Relevant examples include South Africa, with about 20 TWh of solar generation, and sunny Pakistan, with about 41 TWh; their experience can inform project delivery, financing and workforce development, although their electricity systems are much larger. Wind could complement solar where local resource assessments support it, drawing lessons from South Africa’s roughly 12 TWh of wind generation. Chad should also consider nuclear electricity as part of its long-term development planning, supported by international partnerships and institutional preparation. South Africa’s approximately 12 TWh of nuclear generation and the United Arab Emirates’ 32 TWh illustrate how nuclear can contribute substantial clean electricity alongside solar. Expanding these low-carbon sources would support electrification while limiting fossil-fuel air pollution and climate impacts.

History

The reported history of Chad’s low-carbon electricity shows little measurable change. From 2012 through 2015, every listed annual change in biofuel electricity generation was zero TWh. From 2016 through 2022, both wind and biofuel generation likewise recorded zero annual change in every listed year. At the precision provided, this indicates stagnation rather than a sustained expansion of clean electricity; it does not mean that generation itself was necessarily zero. The historical series contains no solar or nuclear entries, so it cannot establish their development over this period. Chad’s next chapter should focus on a substantial increase in clean electricity, particularly solar, with wind and longer-term nuclear opportunities also considered.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade