Northern Ghana still faces energy poverty despite 90% national electricity access – NORPRA’s Ayorogo

Northern Ghana continues to grapple with energy poverty, despite national electricity access in Ghana reaching approximately 90 percent. Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, the Coordinator of the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), expressed concern over the issue during the 2026 Future of Energy Conference in Accra. Ayorogo highlighted that out of the 660 million people worldwide without access to electricity, 600 million are in Africa, accounting for about 91 percent of the global deficit.

Although Ghana has made strides at the national level, Northern Ghana remains significantly disadvantaged, with electricity access in some areas as low as 60 to 70 percent. Ayorogo emphasized the need for the country to reconsider how resources can be allocated to combat energy poverty, particularly in deprived regions. He expressed dismay over Ghana's renewable energy master plan, which requires an investment of around US$5 billion for effective implementation, yet public resources have not been allocated accordingly.

Ayorogo praised the Africa Centre for Energy Policy for bringing together influential figures from academia, media, industry, and civil society to discuss strategies for eradicating energy poverty in Africa and individual nations. He stressed that the discussions have now reached a stage where practical action is necessary, urging governments to show concrete commitment to implementing the conference's recommendations to ensure no part of the country is left behind in the energy transition.