With nearly 1 billion people, Africa accounts for over a sixth of the world's population, but generates only 4% of global electricity.

Poverty and the lack of access to other fuels mean that 80% of the overall African population relies primarily on biomass fuel wood or charcoal - to meet its residential energy needs.

Africa is losing more than four million hectares of forest every year twice the world's average deforestation rate. Only 10 per cent of its 700 million people regularly get electricity. 

The population of people in many African countries who have access to electricity is shockingly low. Countries such as Angola, Malawi and Mozambique fall below 10%.

Progress is being made: 69.8% of South African households have electricity. In rural areas, electrification has increased by 218%; over half of rural households have electricity at their disposal, compared to just 17% in 1994.

However overall in Africa access to electricity access is a mere 24%. This is significantly lower than other regions of the developing world, where it is between 60% and 90%.