Country snapshot · East Africa
Madagascar
Solar added each year
Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.
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| Year | MW | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 51.3 | Ember estimate |
| 2024 | 92.4 | Ember estimate |
| 2025 | 77.9 | Ember estimate |
| 2026E | 116.8 | Ember estimate, full year |
0.7% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (116.8 of 17,449.4 MW).1
Who has electricity
Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.
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| Area | Access | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rural | 26.5% | 2024 |
| Urban | 75.9% | 2024 |
| National | 42.5% | 2024 |
World Bank WDI, 2024.2
How reliable is the grid for business?
Firms experiencing electrical outages (2022 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N6
52.4% (2022 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)
The rules for small-scale generationN2,N7
Export rules: Partial
- Regulator
- ARELEC
- Main utility
- JIRAMA
Export rulesNo net-metering scheme. Electricity Code 2017 lets renewable self-producers sell up to 40% of annual output, on ARELEC conditions (not found).6Medium confidenceShow detail
No net-metering scheme found. The Code allows renewable autoproducers to sell surplus to the grid (Art. 14/46), with ≥60% for own use, so sales are ≤40% of annual production, under conditions set by ARELEC. Implementing conditions were not found.
How exports are creditedNone found; terms set by ARELEC.Show detail
None found. Terms are set by ARELEC and were not located.
Size limits and licensingDeclaration up to 500 kW (solar, hydro, thermal) or 1 MW (wind, biomass, geothermal); authorisation above.6Low confidenceShow detail
Autoproduction under the declaration regime: ≤500 kW for thermal/hydro/solar and ≤1 MW for biomass/geothermal/wind/waste (Art. 42). Authorisation applies above that. Art. 28 values (solar PV ≤150 kW) are corrupted in the source.
Mini-grid rulesNo dedicated regulation; the Code defines isolated centres and ADER leads rural electrification.6High confidenceShow detail
No dedicated mini-grid regulation found. The Code defines "Centre Isolé" (mini-réseau), and ADER leads rural electrification (Title VIII).
Market access beyond the utilityNetwork operators must interconnect new operators on request; ARELEC may authorise direct supply contracts.6High confidenceShow detail
Art. 26: obligation to interconnect new operators. Art. 27: ARELEC may authorise direct supply contracts. Art. 48: private lines on private property are free.
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.
The full report
This is a snapshot. The full story is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
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.
