Although 92% of the world’s population has basic access to electricity, more than 666 million people still live without this essential service, according to the report Tracking SDG 7: Energy Progress Report 2025.
The most affected region is Sub-Saharan Africa, which concentrates 18 of the 20 countries with the largest deficits in electrical access globally.
The study was prepared by the agencies responsible for monitoring progress on Sustainable Development Goal 7 —IEA, IRENA, UNSD, World Bank, and WHO— and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of energy access, energy efficiency, renewable sources, and international financing flows.
Distributed renewables, key for remote areas
The report highlights the role of distributed renewable energies, such as mini-grids and standalone solar systems, as viable tools to close gaps in rural and low-income regions, where expanding conventional grids is more costly or unfeasible.
While since 2015, around 310 million people have gained access to electricity, with significant progress in Central and Southern Asia —which reduced its gap from 414 million in 2010 to just 27 million in 2023—, regional inequality persists. In Sub-Saharan Africa, access remains stalled and represents 85% of the world’s population still without electrical connection.
The region also lags in infrastructure: installed capacity of renewable energies per capita is only 40 watts, compared to over 1,100 watts in developed countries.
Clean cooking: a silent debt in the energy agenda
The document warns about limited access to clean cooking technologies, one of the most critical indicators of SDG 7. Over 2 billion people worldwide still depend on firewood, charcoal, or organic waste for cooking, which implies:
- Severe health risks from smoke inhalation in enclosed spaces
- Increased pressure on forest resources
- High emissions of polluting gases
In Sub-Saharan Africa, four out of every five families lack clean cookstoves, and the number of people without access continues to grow at a rate of 14 million per year.
Financial advances, but still insufficient
Among the positive signs, the report highlights that international financial flows towards clean energy in developing countries grew for the third consecutive year, reaching $21.6 billion in 2023. Renewable capacity per capita in these nations reached a record of 341 watts, more than double that of 2015.
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, celebrated the recent growth, but emphasized that “we must accelerate progress to close access gaps and strengthen international cooperation.”
Recommendations: fair financing and coordinated action
To consolidate achievements and prevent setbacks, the report proposes:
- Reforms in multilateral and bilateral loans
- Greater availability of public capital and donations
- Instruments to mitigate risk and attract private investment
- Robust national energy planning and updated regulations
The report concludes that without a firm and sustained commitment, the goals of SDG 7 will not be achieved by 2030, and millions will continue to be deprived of basic living conditions.
