Country snapshot · East Africa

Eritrea

Export rules: None foundData as of 10 October 2026
1.0MW
Solar added in 2026 (Ember estimate, all segments)1N3,N4,N5
−97%
Change on 20251
2025: 37.4 MW (Ember estimate)
55.3%
Access to electricity, 20242N6
1.58million
People without electricity, 2024 (DERCA calculation)2N6

Solar added each year

Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.

Eritrea: solar added per year, 2023–2026, MW (Ember estimates)2023: 0.6 MW; 2024: 0.1 MW; 2025: 37.4 MW; 2026 estimate: 1.0 MW0.620230.1202437.420251.02026E
Eritrea: solar added per year, 2023–2026, MW (Ember estimates)2023: 0.6 MW; 2024: 0.1 MW; 2025: 37.4 MW; 2026 estimate: 1.0 MW0.620230.1202437.420251.02026E
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Solar added per year, MW
YearMWBasis
20230.6Ember estimate
20240.1Ember estimate
202537.4Ember estimate
2026E1.0Ember estimate, full year

0.0% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (1.0 of 17,449.4 MW).1

Who has electricity

Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.

Eritrea: access to electricity, rural vs urban, 2024Rural 43.2%, urban 78.1%, national 55.3%.National 55.3%Rural 43.2%Urban 78.1%0%25%50%75%100%
Eritrea: access to electricity, rural vs urban, 2024Rural 43.2%, urban 78.1%, national 55.3%.National 55.3%Rural 43.2%Urban 78.1%0%50%100%
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Access to electricity, 2024
AreaAccessYear
Rural43.2%2024
Urban78.1%2024
National55.3%2024
Rural 43.2%Urban 78.1%Without electricity 1.58m (DERCA calculation)

World Bank WDI, 2024.2

How reliable is the grid for business?

Firms experiencing electrical outages (2009 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N1,N7

Eritrea: share of firms experiencing electrical outagesEritrea 20.5% (2009 survey); Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4%; World 47.5% (2025).Eritrea (2009)20.5%Sub-Saharan Africa72.4%World47.5%
Eritrea: share of firms experiencing electrical outagesEritrea 20.5% (2009 survey); Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4%; World 47.5% (2025).Eritrea (2009)20.5%Sub-SaharanAfrica72.4%World47.5%

20.5% (2009 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)

The rules for small-scale generationN2,N8

Export rules: None found

Regulator
Electricity Regulatory Committee (not independent)
Main utility
Eritrean Electricity Corporation
Export rulesNone found. Feed-in tariffs are mentioned in policy but not implemented.5Medium confidenceShow detail

None found. FiTs are mentioned in policy but not implemented

Sources: 5
How exports are creditedNone foundShow detail

None found

Size limits and licensingNone found5Low confidenceShow detail

None found. Model permits were drafted in 2007 and "need to be revised"

Sources: 5
Mini-grid rulesNone. No regulations for isolated networks.5Medium confidenceShow detail

None. Regulations for isolated networks do not exist

Sources: 5
Market access beyond the utilityPrivate actors foreseen in law (2004) but network access not implemented.5Medium confidenceShow detail

Proclamation 141/2004 foresees private actors, but network access is not implemented. The only IPP is Bisha mine (20 MW, oil)

Sources: 5
Aggregation / VPP rulesNone foundShow detail

None found

“None found” means we could not locate a rule in public sources reviewed to 10 October 2026, not that one cannot exist.

Recent developments

Dated developments, 2024–2026.

  1. Mar 2024

    EPC contract awarded for the 30 MW Dekemhare solar plant (AfDB grant).6,7

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The full analysis, with 17 exhibits on the boom, the data gap, the economics and the four building blocks, is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.

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