COUNTRIES · SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
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Niger

Heat is 82% of the energy Niger uses.

Niger is a low-income country in Sub-Saharan Africa with 27.9 million people, most of them living in rural areas. Heat makes up 82% of the energy it uses, well above the world average of about 47%.

Most of the heat comes from wood and other biomass (95%). Only 6% of people have access to clean cooking, so much of the wood and charcoal is burned for cooking. Just 5% of the heat comes from coal, oil and gas. Electricity makes up 3% of energy use and is generated mainly from fossil fuels (96%).

The country

Population27.9 million2025
GDP per capitaUS$ 7802025
Area1,267,000 km²2024
Urban population18%2025
Access to electricity21%2024
Access to clean cooking6%2024
Final energy use45 TWh2023

Where the energy goes

Final energy use in Niger, 2023: 45 TWh.
Heat: 82%82%Electricity: 3%Transport: 15%15%
  • Heat82%
  • Electricity3%
  • Transport15%

Heat in five numbers

Heatshare of all final energy use82%
Fossil heatshare of heat that comes from coal, oil and gas5%
Biomass and wastethe largest single source of heat95%
Electricityshare of final energy use, excluding transport3%
Fossil electricityshare of electricity generated from coal, oil and gas96%

Heat is all fuel and district heating used in industry, buildings and agriculture. Electricity that becomes heat, for example in electric cookers and water heaters, is counted as electricity because no data is available, so the true heat share is somewhat higher.

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