Electricity in Togo in 2023
In Togo, the current state of electricity consumption reveals a significant dependency on imported energy while generating limited amounts of its own. With a total electricity consumption of over 1.1 TWh in net imports, the country is heavily reliant on external sources. Clean and low-carbon electricity generation is noticeably lacking, with only approximately 20 kWh/person coming from low-carbon sources such as hydro and solar energy. This figure stands in stark contrast to global trends where the average consumption is much higher, nearly 3649 kWh/person. The low levels of electricity generation in Togo can adversely impact economic development, limiting industrial growth, access to technology, and overall quality of life due to insufficient and unreliable access to power.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, Ember and IEA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Togo?
Despite the global trend toward increased electricity use and cleaner energy production, Togo's electricity consumption is not on a growth trajectory — rather, it is slightly declining. In 2023, electricity consumption was recorded at 217 kWh/person, showing a decrease from a previous high of 224 kWh/person in 2014. The same downward trend is evident in the low-carbon sector, where electricity generation has decreased from a past peak of 58 kWh/person back in 1995 to just 20 kWh/person in 2023. Traditionally a country with ample hydroelectric resources, Togo’s recent failure to boost or even maintain its low-carbon generation is concerning. This stagnation, especially in the context of growing global demand for electricity and cleaner energy solutions, highlights the pressing need for strategic improvements and investments in sustainable energy sources.
Suggestions
To boost low-carbon electricity generation, Togo can draw lessons from successful global practices such as those in China and India, where solar power capacity is expanding rapidly, generating over 1114 TWh and 153 TWh respectively. Additionally, wind energy has been successfully implemented in countries such as India and Brazil, yielding substantial contributions to their energy mix. For Togo, significant potential lies in solar energy due to its geographical location and favorable climate. The adoption and expansion of nuclear energy could also play a crucial role, akin to how countries like France and the United States have increased their nuclear capabilities with 371 TWh and 778 TWh of electricity generated. By investing in solar installations and exploring nuclear options, alongside leveraging its natural hydro resources, Togo could make substantial strides toward increasing its clean energy output and thus ensure a more stable, sustainable electricity supply for its future needs.
History
Over the past decades, Togo's history of low-carbon electricity generation has primarily involved fluctuations in hydroelectric power output. In the early 1990s, for instance, there were modest annual changes in hydroelectric generation, fluctuating between increases and decreases of roughly 0.1 TWh. This pattern of small variances without significant advancements continued sporadically through the ensuing decades, with notable changes in 1997 and 2013 involving reductions. The year 2021 marked a slight positive turn with the adoption of solar energy contributing 0.1 TWh to the power mix. Despite incremental gains, there has been no transformative growth in low-carbon generation over the years. This history underscores an urgent need for consistent and expansive investment in low-carbon technologies to significantly enhance the country's energy profile.
