Access to electricity in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Access to electricity was 2.5% in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)
2.5%
Change on year
up 257.1%
World rank
193rd
of 201 countries
All-time high
8.8%
in 2004
All-time low
0.3%
in 2011
Years of data
24
1990–2016

Access to electricity in Sierra Leone, 1990–2016

024681990200320161990: 3.3 % of rural population1991: 3.3 % of rural population1992: 3.3 % of rural population1993: 3.4 % of rural population1994: 3.4 % of rural population1995: 3.3 % of rural population1996: 3.3 % of rural population1997: 3.2 % of rural population1998: 3.1 % of rural population1999: 3 % of rural population2000: 2.8 % of rural population2001: 2.6 % of rural population2002: 2.3 % of rural population2003: 2 % of rural population2004: 8.8 % of rural population2005: 1.5 % of rural population2006: 1.2 % of rural population2007: 0.874 % of rural population2008: 1.4 % of rural population2009: 0.318 % of rural population2010: 0.861 % of rural population2011: 0.29 % of rural population2013: 0.7 % of rural population2016: 2.5 % of rural population

Source: World Bank Global Electrification Database 2013. Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

Sierra Leone recorded 2.5% for access to electricity in 2016.

That represents a change of up 257.1% on the previous year and up 114.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, access to electricity in Sierra Leone peaked at 8.8% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2011.

Sierra Leone ranks 193rd of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Access to electricity in Sierra Leone, year by year

Annual values for Access to electricity (% of rural population) in Sierra Leone, 1990 to 2016.
Year % of rural population Change
1990 3.3%
1991 3.3% +1.2%
1992 3.3% +0.9%
1993 3.4% +0.5%
1994 3.4% +0.0%
1995 3.3% -0.6%
1996 3.3% -1.3%
1997 3.2% -2.2%
1998 3.1% -3.3%
1999 3.0% -4.7%
2000 2.8% -6.3%
2001 2.6% -8.0%
2002 2.3% -9.8%
2003 2.0% -11.8%
2004 8.8% +334.8%
2005 1.5% -83.0%
2006 1.2% -22.6%
2007 0.9% -24.9%
2008 1.4% +60.2%
2009 0.3% -77.3%
2010 0.9% +170.8%
2011 0.3% -66.3%
2013 0.7% +141.4%
2016 2.5% +257.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.3% 3.0% 3.4% 10
2000s 2.4% 0.3% 8.8% 10
2010s 1.1% 0.3% 2.5% 4

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 190 Niger 4.7% compare
  2. 191 Malawi 4.0% compare
  3. 192 Zambia 2.7% compare
  4. 194 Chad 2.2% compare
  5. 195 Djibouti 2.0% compare
  6. 196 Mali 1.8% compare

See the full ranking of 203 places →

More reference data data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is access to electricity in Sierra Leone?
Access to electricity in Sierra Leone was 2.5% in 2016, according to World Bank Global Electrification Database 2013.
What is the highest access to electricity recorded in Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 2004.
What is the lowest access to electricity recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2011.
How does Sierra Leone rank for access to electricity?
Sierra Leone ranks 193rd out of 201 countries with data for 2016.
Is access to electricity rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is up 114.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
The figures come from World Bank Global Electrification Database 2013, published as part of Access to electricity (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Access to electricity in Sierra Leone. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Global Electrification Database 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/access-to-electricity-percent-of-rural-population/sierra-leone/

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About this data

Indicator
Access to electricity (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
World Bank Global Electrification Database 2013
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
203 places, 5,139 data points, 1990–2016
Last refreshed

Access to electricity is the percentage of rural population with access to electricity.