People without access to electricity declined in 2023, a trend that's set to continue

The IEA’s latest data show the number of people without access to electricity declined by more than 10 million from over 760 million in 2022 to below 750 million in 2023. This follows a period of stagnation and setbacks in extending electricity access, where population growth exceeded new connections in many countries. The IEA was the first to report that the number of people globally without access to electricity increased for the first time in decades in 2022 using data from new grid and off-grid connections—a finding that was confirmed earlier this year by household surveys. Data for the first months of 2024 suggest that improvements are set to continue this year, as the number of people without access to electricity is expected to decline by a similar amount as in 2023.