In 2023, Guinea consumed about 4 TWh of electricity. Roughly three-quarters came from low-carbon sources: 3.03 TWh, almost entirely hydropower. Fossil fuels supplied the remaining quarter, about 1 TWh. Electricity consumption averaged just 281 kWh per person, around 7% of the global average of 3,794 kWh—about thirteen times lower. Such limited electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, industrial activity and access to reliable power for households and businesses. Expanding clean electricity would support development while limiting the air pollution and climate impacts associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Guinea?

Guinea’s latest figures show a slight setback rather than continued growth in electricity consumption per person. Consumption was about 280 kWh per person in 2023, just below the 2022 record of 285 kWh, with the supplied figures indicating a decline of roughly 3–4 kWh. Low-carbon generation also slipped slightly, from 212 to 210 kWh per person. These per-person figures do not establish whether total electricity generation fell, but the loss of momentum is concerning: Guinea needs sustained electricity growth to improve living standards and serve growing demand from electrification and digital services.

Suggestions

Guinea should build on its hydropower foundation by expanding solar electricity, strengthening its grid and considering nuclear power as part of its longer-term clean electricity strategy. South Africa offers a relevant African example, generating about 20 TWh from solar and 12 TWh from nuclear; Guinea could study its experience with both technologies. Pakistan’s roughly 41 TWh of solar generation and India’s 205 TWh also provide useful examples of solar deployment in developing economies. For nuclear development, Guinea could learn from South Africa and from France, which generated about 376 TWh of nuclear electricity, while developing the institutions, workforce and international partnerships needed for a programme suited to Guinea’s electricity system. These examples demonstrate opportunities, not output targets to copy directly.

History

Guinea’s recorded low-carbon electricity history is dominated by hydropower. Small increases of about 0.1 TWh occurred in 1983, the late 1990s and 2001, followed by modest fluctuations through the early 2010s and no change in 2010. Stronger expansion began in the mid-2010s: hydropower increased by 0.5 TWh in 2015, followed by further gains in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Growth accelerated in the early 2020s, with an additional 0.2 TWh in 2020, a particularly substantial 1.2 TWh in 2021 and 0.3 TWh in 2022. Generation was unchanged in 2023, making renewed clean electricity expansion important after this encouraging period of growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade