Liberia’s electricity consumption in 2023 was just 71 kWh per person, compared with a global average of 3,853 kWh—less than 2% of that benchmark, or roughly one fifty-fourth. Low-carbon electricity generation amounted to 24 kWh per person, equivalent to about a third of consumption. The supplied figures do not specify how the remaining electricity was supplied, so its fossil-fuel share cannot be established from these data alone. Such limited electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, refrigeration, business activity and digital services, underscoring the need for much more clean electricity.

Is Electricity Growing in Liberia?

Liberia’s latest figures show a worrying shortfall compared with its historical records, rather than evidence of sustained long-term growth. Electricity consumption in 2023 was 344 kWh per person below the 1980 record of 415 kWh—an approximately 83% decline. Low-carbon generation was also far below its 1980 peak: 24 kWh per person versus 156 kWh, a drop of 132 kWh, or about 85%. These comparisons do not establish whether consumption increased in the latest year, but they clearly show that Liberia has substantial ground to recover while preparing for rising electricity demand.

Suggestions

Liberia should prioritize expanding solar electricity alongside stronger grids, storage and connections for households and businesses. South Africa offers a relevant African example, generating about 19 TWh from solar, while Vietnam’s roughly 29 TWh demonstrates solar’s contribution in another tropical setting. Liberia can also assess suitable wind locations, drawing lessons from South Africa’s 11 TWh of wind generation. Nuclear electricity deserves consideration in long-term planning and regional cooperation: South Africa generates about 11 TWh from nuclear, while France’s roughly 373 TWh illustrates its substantial contribution to clean electricity supply. These examples are not direct output targets for Liberia, but they offer useful lessons for building a much larger low-carbon electricity system and reducing reliance on fossil fuels associated with air pollution and climate change.

History

The supplied history of Liberia’s low-carbon electricity focuses entirely on hydropower. Generation showed no reported change from 1981 through 1983, fell by about 0.1 TWh in 1984, and recovered by the same amount in 1985. It then remained unchanged in the listed years from 1986 through 1989. The next supplied increase occurred in 2018, when hydropower generation rose by about 0.1 TWh, followed by no reported annual changes from 2019 through 2023. Although that increase was welcome, the subsequent stagnation is concerning given Liberia’s very low electricity consumption; the missing years prevent a complete account of the intervening history.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade