New CATF analysis reveals energy poverty metrics fail to capture true costs for African households
Cotonou, BENIN – A new paper from Clean Air Task Force (CATF), also published in Energy Economics, reveals that standard methods of measuring energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa significantly understate the true burden faced by households by failing to account for the high costs of coping with unreliable electricity – using Benin as a case study to illustrate these broader regional dynamics.
“These hidden costs are crushing families’ budgets,” said Prudence Dato, Lead Energy Economist at CATF. “Millions of people who appear to be out of energy poverty based on their electricity bills are, in reality, spending far more just to keep the lights on. Our research shows we need to completely rethink how we define and address energy poverty, particularly in Sub-Saharan African countries where blackouts and voltage fluctuations are more frequent.”
While electricity access in Benin has grown from 30% in 2015 to more than 56% in 2022, this progress masks a deeper crisis: the rising cost of living with unreliable electricity service. Many households across Benin are spending nearly as much on defensive strategies (like generators and voltage stabilizers) as they do on electricity bills. CATF’s analysis shows that these “extra” electricity costs account for 41% of total household electricity spending and push an additional 21% of households into energy poverty.
“It’s time for multilateral institutions and national governments to fundamentally rethink how we define and measure energy poverty,” said Lily Odarno, Regional Director for Africa at CATF. “We can’t solve what we don’t measure accurately. Outdated metrics ignore the true cost of unreliable electricity, rendering millions of households invisible in policy and investment decisions. We need new frameworks that reflect the full burden families face, and that help direct resources where they’re needed most.”
The report, Benin Household Energy Poverty, draws on a nationally representative survey of more than 3,800 households. It finds that:
- Nearly three-quarters (72%) of connected households are energy poor when both electricity bills and backup energy costs are considered.
- Households with power generators face especially high costs, with average generator expenses reaching 88% of a monthly electricity bill—and in some cases, more than 500%.
- Even households that would be considered non-energy poor based on their electricity bills are vulnerable, as poor grid quality forces 44% of them to invest in protective measures, from voltage stabilizers to off-grid energy sources.
“Traditional energy poverty metrics are no longer fit for purpose – they overlook the daily reality of unreliable service, and the hidden costs households must bear,” said Michael Adu Okyere, Regional Policy Manager at CATF. “We’re calling on African policymakers, donors, and energy analysts to update these frameworks to reflect both access and reliability. Electricity access is not merely about having a connection – it’s about being able to depend on that power. Being forced to adopt costly coping strategies when electricity is unreliable or unaffordable is a symptom of energy poverty that must be acknowledged and treated.”
Key recommendations for policymakers and researchers include:
- Redefine energy poverty and update energy poverty metrics to incorporate the cost of defensive measures used by households.
- Design targeted interventions that prioritize the most vulnerable households, including those who are driven into poverty by defensive energy costs.
- Invest in system reliability, including grid upgrades, maintenance, and support for low-cost backup systems.
Read the full report here or read the executive summary in English or French.
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About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
