In 2023, Côte d’Ivoire’s electricity supply totaled about 11.1 TWh. Fossil fuels provided more than two-thirds, or 7.7 TWh, almost entirely from gas. Low-carbon sources supplied almost a third, or 3.5 TWh, with hydropower accounting for nearly all of that clean electricity. Electricity consumption was just 357 kWh per person—less than a tenth of the global average of 3,794 kWh per person. Such low electricity availability can constrain industrial development, limit healthcare and education services, and make it harder for households and businesses to adopt electric technologies. Expanding clean electricity would support development while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and their associated climate and air-pollution impacts.

Is Electricity Growing in Côte d’Ivoire?

The latest per-person figures show a worrying decline rather than growth. Electricity consumption fell from its previous record of 415 kWh per person in 2022 to 357 kWh in 2023, a decrease of 58 kWh, or about 14%. Low-carbon electricity generation reached 111 kWh per person, well below its historical record of 199 kWh in 1981—a shortfall of 88 kWh, or roughly 44%. These figures demonstrate that electricity availability per person has lost ground, although they do not by themselves establish whether total national generation declined. Stronger growth in clean electricity is needed to support rising living standards and future demand from electrification and digital services.

Suggestions

Côte d’Ivoire can expand its low-carbon electricity supply by accelerating solar deployment, strengthening its grid, and considering nuclear power alongside its existing hydropower. South Africa offers a relevant African example, generating about 20 TWh from solar and 12 TWh from nuclear in the supplied comparison. Côte d’Ivoire could learn from its experience in developing both technologies and training skilled workers. Other useful examples include tropical Brazil, with 88 TWh of solar electricity, and India, with 205 TWh, illustrating the potential for large-scale solar deployment. For nuclear development, France’s 376 TWh and the United Arab Emirates’ 32 TWh offer examples from which to study long-term planning, workforce development, and international partnerships. Competitive procurement, clear investment frameworks, and expanded transmission could help translate these lessons into substantially more clean electricity.

History

Côte d’Ivoire’s recorded low-carbon electricity history is dominated by fluctuations in hydropower. In the early 1980s, generation rose by 0.4 TWh in 1981, then fell by a combined 1.3 TWh in 1983–1984 before rebounding by 0.9 TWh in 1985. The 1990s brought further alternating declines and recoveries, including a 0.6 TWh increase in 1995. Modest gains in 2007 and 2009 followed a decline in 2005, but the first half of the 2010s again saw several setbacks, particularly the 0.6 TWh drop in 2015. Encouragingly, generation increased by a combined 1.9 TWh during 2017–2019. A 0.7 TWh decline in 2021 was then matched by a 0.7 TWh recovery in 2022. This uneven history reinforces the value of expanding solar and developing additional clean sources, including nuclear, to sustain electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade