Cameroon energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Cameroon reached 7.3 TWh in 2024. More than half of it, 72%, came from hydropower; natural gas was a distant second with 22%.
Electricity generation by source in 2024
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 5.23 | 72% | +9.2 |
| Gas | 1.6 | 22% | +2.6 |
| Oil | 0.35 | 4.8% | −11.7 |
| Solar | 0.04 | 0.6% | +0.4 |
| Bioenergy | 0.04 | 0.6% | −0.5 |
| Total | 7.26 | 100% |
Cameroon: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Cameroon reached 7.3 TWh in 2024. That is similar to Senegal. More than half of it, 72%, came from hydropower; natural gas was a distant second with 22%.
Renewables supplied 73.1% of the electricity, which ranks Cameroon 37th of 158 countries (in the top quarter). This puts it 39 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 226 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. The grid is comfortably cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Cameroon ranks 49th of 158 from the cleanest.
Over the past decade hydropower added more generation than any other source (+900 GWh since 2014, plus 9.2 percentage points of share). The biggest decline came from oil (−790 GWh). Taken together, the renewable share rose by 9.1 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 370 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 282 to 226 g/kWh, a 20% cut.
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Cameroon in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar remain marginal in Cameroon, together supplying under 1% of electricity.
Cameroon generates 249 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 6% of the global average. Cross-border trade is roughly balanced.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 2000. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Cameroon against the world and Africa averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 1,252 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Cameroon
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 8 utility-scale plants in Cameroon with a combined capacity of 0.9 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (71% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Song Loulou (396 MW, Hydro). The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Song Loulou | Hydro | 396 | — | — |
| 2 | Kribi | Gas | 200 | — | — |
| 3 | Edea | Hydro | 154 | — | — |
| 4 | Lagdo | Hydro | 80 | — | — |
| 5 | Garoua | Oil | 16 | — | — |
| 6 | Douala Bassa | Oil | 14 | — | — |
| 7 | Bafoussam | Oil | 11 | — | — |
| 8 | Limbe | Oil | 11 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 8 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Cameroon
13 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 59 MW of solar and 100 MW of wind operating, plus 2.1 GW under construction or planned.
How does Cameroon compare?
Cameroon next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 73.1% | 73.1% | 26.9% | 226 | 249 | 7.3 | — | |
| Nigeria | 31.3% | 31.3% | 68.7% | 456 | 175 | 41.5 | Compare | |
| Republic of the Congo | 20.9% | 20.9% | 79.1% | 716 | 862 | 5.5 | Compare | |
| Gabon | 35.4% | 35.4% | 64.6% | 523 | 1,024 | 2.6 | Compare | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 26.8% | 26.8% | 73.2% | 644 | 787 | 1.5 | Compare | |
| Chad | 5.4% | 5.4% | 94.6% | 622 | 18 | 0.4 | Compare | |
| Benin | 4% | 4% | 96% | 584 | 70 | 1 | Compare | |
| Africa average | 24.7% | 25.5% | 74.5% | 544 | 635 | 962 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Cameroon
Cameroon energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Cameroon is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Cameroon?
How clean is the electricity in Cameroon?
Does Cameroon have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Cameroon use per person?
How much solar power does Cameroon produce?
Does Cameroon import electricity?
More countries in Africa
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2024. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.