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Indicators · Energy and power

Net electricity imports

Electricity imported minus electricity exported, as a share of demand.

Why it matters

Shows reliance on neighbours through the Southern African Power Pool. High importers are exposed to supply cuts elsewhere.

Read with care

Negative values mean the country is a net exporter.

Source

Ember, Energy Institute

% of demand. 54 African countries, 2000 to 2025.

Net power imports: highest in Lesotho, lowest in Mozambique

Net electricity imports, % of demand. Latest year available, mostly 2024. 16 of 16 countries have data.

-19%
-2.5%
0%
15%
59%
No data
Loading map…
Source: Ember, Energy Institute· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: net power importsiWhy it mattersShows reliance on neighbours through the Southern African Power Pool. High importers are exposed to supply cuts elsewhere.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%50%100%Lesotho100.0% (2024)Eswatini63.0% (2024)Namibia59.4% (2024)Botswana26.6% (2024)Zimbabwe15.2% (2024)DRC8.3% (2024)Tanzania2.1% (2024)Angola0.0% (2024)Comoros0.0% (2023)Madagascar0.0% (2024)Mauritius0.0% (2024)Seychelles0.0% (2024)Malawi-1.1% (2024)South Africa-2.5%Zambia-18.8% (2024)Mozambique-20.0% (2024)median 0.0%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 0.0%Lowest: Mozambique -20.0%Highest: Lesotho 100.0%

Over time

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Net electricity imports against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

-20.0%0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%100.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Net power importsDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarZambiaZimbabwe
Source: Ember, Energy Institute, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Lesotho100.0%2024up 41.9 points since 2019C
2Eswatini63.0%2024down 4.9 points since 2019C
3Namibia59.4%2024down 9.4 points since 2019C
4Botswana26.6%2024down 2.1 points since 2019C
5Zimbabwe15.2%2024up 3.6 points since 2019C
6DRC8.3%2024up 1.1 point since 2019C
7Tanzania2.1%2024up 0.7 points since 2019C
8Angola0.0%2024little changed since 2019C
9Comoros0.0%2023little changed since 2018C
10Madagascar0.0%2024little changed since 2019C
11Mauritius0.0%2024little changed since 2019C
12Seychelles0.0%2024little changed since 2019C
13Malawi-1.1%2024little changed since 2019C
14South Africa-2.5%2025down 0.9 points since 2020C
15Zambia-18.8%2024down 13.2 points since 2019C
16Mozambique-20.0%2024down 4.9 points since 2019C