Beyond Electricity Connections: Why Quality of Energy Access Matters

Summary

Explores why measuring electricity access solely by the number of household connections provides an incomplete picture of energy access. Drawing on the World Bank's Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) and recent evidence from a decade of national surveys, this article examines the dimensions of quality energy access and discusses their relevance for improving electrification planning, policy and programme implementation in Nigeria.

Article Information

Sector	Energy Access
Sub-sector	Electricity Access
Country Focus	Nigeria
Main Theme	Measuring Energy Access
Primary Source	World Bank – ESMAP
Supporting Sources	Tracking SDG 7 Report, Rural Electrification Agency (Nigeria)
Related SDGs	SDG 7 • SDG 9 • SDG 13

Key Takeaways

• Electricity connections alone do not adequately measure energy access.
• Reliable, affordable and safe electricity is essential for achieving meaningful development outcomes.
• The Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) provides a multidimensional approach to assessing electricity access.
• Energy access policies should prioritise service quality alongside expanding connections.
• Applying quality-based metrics can strengthen the planning and evaluation of Nigeria's decentralised energy programmes.

Introduction

Expanding access to electricity remains a central objective of sustainable development. Governments, development partners and utilities have traditionally measured progress by counting the number of households connected to an electricity supply. While this approach provides a simple indicator of electrification, it does not capture the quality of the service that people actually receive.

A household may be officially classified as having electricity access while still experiencing frequent outages, low voltage, limited hours of supply or electricity costs that are too high to sustain productive use. In such circumstances, electricity may contribute only marginally to improvements in education, healthcare, income generation or quality of life.

Recognising these limitations, the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) developed the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) to assess energy access using multiple service attributes rather than a simple connected-versus-not-connected classification.

Published in 2026, the report The Multi-Tier Framework for Energy Access: Insights and Impact from a Decade of Surveys reviews evidence from 29 nationally representative surveys conducted across 27 countries between 2016 and 2025. The report demonstrates how measuring the quality, reliability and affordability of electricity provides a more accurate understanding of energy access and supports better policy decisions.

For Nigeria, where improving electricity access remains a national priority, adopting quality-based indicators alongside connection targets could strengthen the design, implementation and evaluation of decentralised energy programmes.

Why Electricity Connections Alone Are Not Enough

For many years, electricity access statistics were reported as a binary measure: a household either had an electricity connection or it did not. Although straightforward, this method overlooks important differences in the quality of electricity services experienced by users.

For example, two households may both be connected to electricity. However:

• one household may receive continuous electricity throughout the day, while another experiences prolonged outages;
• one may have sufficient power to operate appliances and productive equipment, while the other can only power basic lighting;
• one may pay affordable tariffs, while another spends a disproportionate share of household income on electricity;
• one may have safe, compliant electrical installations, while another relies on unsafe wiring that increases the risk of accidents.

Under traditional reporting methods, both households would be counted equally as having electricity access despite experiencing substantially different levels of service.

The Multi-Tier Framework addresses this limitation by evaluating the quality of electricity service across several dimensions rather than simply recording whether a connection exists.

The Multi-Tier Framework (MTF)

The Multi-Tier Framework was developed to provide a more comprehensive method of measuring access to modern energy services. Instead of using a binary indicator, the framework classifies electricity access into a series of service tiers based on the level of service available to consumers.

The framework assesses electricity access using six principal service attributes:

Dimensions of Electricity Access under the Multi-Tier Framework

Dimension	What It Measures	Why It Matters
Capacity	Amount of electrical power available	Determines which appliances and productive activities can be supported.
Availability	Hours of electricity available during the day and evening	Indicates whether electricity is accessible when users need it most.
Reliability	Frequency and duration of interruptions	Measures the consistency of electricity supply.
Quality	Voltage stability and service performance	Ensures equipment can operate safely and efficiently.
Affordability	Cost of electricity relative to household income	Determines whether consumers can sustainably use electricity.
Safety	Protection from electrical hazards	Reduces risks associated with poor installations and unsafe infrastructure.

Together, these dimensions provide a more complete picture of energy access and enable policymakers to identify specific barriers that prevent households from benefiting fully from electricity services.

Insights from a Decade of Multi-Tier Framework Surveys

The 2026 ESMAP publication synthesises findings from 29 nationally representative surveys conducted across 27 countries between 2016 and 2025. Collectively, these surveys demonstrate that measuring electricity access solely through household connections masks significant differences in the quality of electricity services received by consumers.

The report highlights several important observations.

First, electricity access is multidimensional. Households with similar connection status may experience substantially different levels of service depending on supply reliability, affordability, voltage quality and available capacity.

Second, improvements in electricity access do not necessarily translate into improvements in livelihoods. Where electricity supply is unreliable or available for only a few hours each day, households may remain unable to operate productive equipment, preserve food, access digital services or improve educational outcomes.

Third, the surveys demonstrate that understanding the quality of energy services enables governments and development partners to design interventions that respond to actual user needs rather than relying solely on connection statistics.

These findings reinforce the importance of shifting from measuring electricity infrastructure to measuring electricity services.

Why Quality Matters for Development

Reliable electricity contributes to development only when it is capable of supporting the activities that improve people's lives.

For households, dependable electricity enables lighting, refrigeration, communication, digital learning and improved living conditions.

For schools, it supports evening study, digital education, laboratory equipment and administrative operations.

For healthcare facilities, reliable electricity is essential for vaccine refrigeration, medical equipment, maternity services and emergency care.

For businesses, electricity quality directly influences productivity, operating costs and business growth. Small enterprises experiencing frequent power interruptions often rely on diesel generators, increasing production costs while reducing profitability.

Consequently, improving the quality of electricity services can generate broader social and economic benefits than increasing connection numbers alone.

Nigeria Case Study: Measuring Success Beyond Connections

Nigeria has made significant investments in expanding electricity access through grid extension, mini-grids and standalone solar systems. Programmes implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), including the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP) and the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, have prioritised expanding access to underserved communities.

Traditionally, programme performance has often been communicated through indicators such as:

• number of new electricity connections;
• number of mini-grids installed;
• installed renewable energy capacity; and
• number of beneficiary communities.

While these indicators remain important, the Multi-Tier Framework suggests that they should be complemented by indicators that assess the quality of electricity services delivered.

Examples include:

• average daily hours of electricity supply;
• reliability of service;
• affordability of electricity tariffs;
• number of productive enterprises using electricity;
• customer satisfaction;
• ability of households to operate productive appliances;
• safety of electrical installations.

Integrating such indicators into programme monitoring could provide a more comprehensive understanding of project outcomes while supporting evidence-based policy improvements.

Implications for Mini-Grids

Mini-grids have become an important component of Nigeria's rural electrification strategy because they can provide electricity to communities that are unlikely to receive reliable grid connections in the near future.

Applying Multi-Tier Framework indicators to mini-grid projects enables developers and policymakers to evaluate whether installed systems provide electricity that is:

• available during peak demand periods;
• reliable throughout the year;
• capable of supporting productive economic activities;
• affordable for consumers; and
• safe to operate.

This approach shifts attention from infrastructure delivery to service quality and long-term sustainability.

Productive Use of Energy

The quality of electricity services also influences the success of productive-use initiatives.

Farmers, agro-processors, welders, tailors, ICT centres and small manufacturers require electricity that is reliable and sufficient to operate machinery consistently.

Where electricity is intermittent or of insufficient capacity, the economic benefits of electrification may be significantly reduced despite households being officially classified as electrified.

Evaluating productive-use outcomes alongside electricity access therefore provides a more realistic measure of the developmental impact of decentralised renewable energy investments.

Policy Considerations

Applying quality-based indicators can strengthen national electrification strategies by enabling policymakers to identify service gaps that remain hidden when only connection statistics are reported.

Potential priorities include:

• incorporating service-quality indicators into national electrification reporting;
• expanding routine customer satisfaction surveys;
• strengthening technical standards for decentralised energy systems;
• encouraging utilities and mini-grid developers to monitor reliability and availability;
• supporting affordability through innovative financing mechanisms;
• integrating productive-use indicators into rural electrification programmes.

Collectively, these measures can improve accountability while ensuring that investments deliver meaningful social and economic outcomes.

Conclusion

Universal electricity access cannot be measured solely by counting the number of connected households. The quality of electricity services—including reliability, affordability, safety, availability, capacity and voltage quality—determines whether electricity contributes meaningfully to improved livelihoods and sustainable development.

The Multi-Tier Framework provides governments, utilities and development partners with a more comprehensive approach to assessing energy access. Evidence gathered from a decade of surveys demonstrates that multidimensional measurement supports better planning, more targeted investments and more effective monitoring of electrification programmes.

For Nigeria, integrating quality-of-service indicators into national electrification initiatives such as NEP and DARES offers an opportunity to strengthen policy implementation while ensuring that investments in decentralised renewable energy translate into measurable improvements in people's lives.

See Also

• Global Tracking Framework for Measuring Energy Access
• Nigeria Off-Grid Solar Knowledge Hub
• Rural Electrification

Further Reading

• World Bank ESMAP (2026). The Multi-Tier Framework for Energy Access: Insights and Impact from a Decade of Surveys. Available at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/b0042d1a-eb42-4f4f-83a6-9b0c355abd0a

• World Bank, IEA, IRENA, WHO & UNSD (2025). Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025.

• Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Nigeria Electrification Programme. https://rea.gov.ng/

• Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES). https://www.nep.rea.gov.ng/dares.html

Attribution and Licence

This article synthesises information from publicly available publications produced by the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and other cited sources. It is intended as an educational resource and does not reproduce the original publications. Readers are encouraged to consult the cited sources for detailed methodologies and technical guidance.