Oil consumption per person in South Africa
South Africa: Oil consumption per person was 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
4,207 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
142nd
of 219 countries
All-time high
6,140 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2007
All-time low
3,529 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Oil consumption per person in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
In 2025, oil consumption per person in South Africa stood at 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 30.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil consumption per person in South Africa peaked at 6,140 kilowatt-hours per person in 2007 and was at its lowest, 3,529 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1965.
South Africa ranks 142nd of 219 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Oil consumption per person in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 3,529 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 3,717 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 1967 | 3,927 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.6% |
| 1968 | 4,137 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.4% |
| 1969 | 4,410 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 4,636 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.1% |
| 1971 | 4,921 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.1% |
| 1972 | 5,212 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 5,589 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.2% |
| 1974 | 5,294 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 5,471 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 5,384 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 5,190 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 5,304 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 4,892 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.8% |
| 1980 | 4,881 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 5,112 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 5,005 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 4,883 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 5,136 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.2% |
| 1985 | 4,852 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.5% |
| 1986 | 4,537 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.5% |
| 1987 | 4,652 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 4,971 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.9% |
| 1989 | 5,001 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 4,911 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 4,840 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 4,909 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 5,007 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 5,141 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 5,417 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 5,507 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 5,531 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 5,548 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 5,563 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 5,604 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 5,676 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 5,767 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 5,916 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 6,076 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 6,026 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 6,080 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 6,140 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 5,756 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 5,578 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 5,778 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 5,775 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 5,833 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 5,845 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 5,686 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 6,079 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 5,791 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 5,762 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 5,557 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 5,416 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 4,522 kilowatt-hours per person | -16.5% |
| 2021 | 4,658 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 4,573 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 4,562 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 4,151 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.0% |
| 2025 | 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7,115 kilowatt-hours per person, 59% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,110 kilowatt-hours per person, 3.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,944 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,529 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,410 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 5,189 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,636 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,589 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 4,903 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,537 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,136 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,237 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,840 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,563 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,862 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,578 kilowatt-hours per person | 6,140 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,752 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,416 kilowatt-hours per person | 6,079 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,446 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,151 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,658 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 139 Morocco 4,592 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 140 Paraguay 4,497 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 141 Honduras 4,446 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 143 Bhutan 4,159 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 144 Vanuatu 4,062 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 145 Ukraine 3,956 kilowatt-hours per person compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil consumption per person in South Africa?
- Oil consumption per person in South Africa was 4,207 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest oil consumption per person recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6,140 kilowatt-hours per person in 2007.
- What is the lowest oil consumption per person recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,529 kilowatt-hours per person in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for oil consumption per person?
- South Africa ranks 142nd out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is oil consumption per person rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Oil consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person. Includes refined petroleum products and other liquid fuels.