In 2023, more than three-fifths of Ghana’s electricity came from fossil fuels, with gas alone supplying about 60%. Low-carbon sources provided the remaining 39%, almost entirely from hydropower, which accounted for about 38% of electricity consumption. Other clean sources contributed less than 1%. Ghana therefore has a substantial hydropower foundation, but expanding clean electricity—especially solar and nuclear—would help reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and their contributions to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Ghana?

Electricity consumption per person is growing modestly: Ghana reached a new record of 719 kWh per person in 2023, compared with 700 kWh in 2022—an increase of roughly 3%. However, low-carbon electricity generation stood at just 277 kWh per person, about 167 kWh below its historic peak of 444 kWh in 1980, or nearly 38% lower. The new overall consumption record is encouraging, but the shortfall in clean generation per person is concerning. Ghana needs stronger growth in low-carbon electricity to support electrification, economic development and emerging demand from AI.

Suggestions

Ghana can build on its hydropower base by expanding solar electricity and developing nuclear generation, alongside stronger grids and investment in workforce skills. Relevant solar examples include Namibia, where solar supplies about 11% of electricity, and Cape Verde, where it supplies 14%; Pakistan and Chile demonstrate larger solar contributions of roughly a quarter. For nuclear, Ghana could learn from the United Arab Emirates, which generates 20% of its electricity from nuclear, and France, where nuclear supplies about two-thirds. These regions offer useful lessons in project delivery, financing and technical capacity. Wind could also complement Ghana’s clean electricity expansion where local conditions are suitable, drawing on Kenya’s roughly 12% wind share and Cape Verde’s 14%.

History

Ghana’s recorded low-carbon electricity history is dominated by changes in hydropower. Generation fell by a combined 3.1 TWh in 1983–1984, before recovering by 2.6 TWh in 1985–1986. Modest gains in 1990 and 1996 preceded a sharp 3 TWh decline in 1998, followed by a combined 2.7 TWh recovery in 1999–2000. The 2000s brought further fluctuations: declines totaling 2.8 TWh in 2002–2003, a 1.4 TWh gain in 2004, another 1.9 TWh decline in 2007, and a strong 3.2 TWh rebound in 2008–2009. A 0.6 TWh increase in 2011 was followed by a disappointing 2.5 TWh fall in 2015. More recent gains—1.2 TWh in 2019, 0.7 TWh in 2022 and 1 TWh in 2023—are encouraging, reinforcing the opportunity to grow clean electricity further through solar and nuclear alongside hydropower.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade