Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Categories
    • Categories
    • Africa
    • Air Freight
    • BEE
    • Border Beat
    • COVID-19
    • Crime
    • Customs
    • Domestic
    • Duty Calls
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy/Fuel
    • Events
    • Freight & Trading Weekly
    • Imports and Exports
    • Infrastructure
    • International
    • Logistics
    • Other
    • People
    • Road/Rail Freight
    • Sea Freight
    • Skills & Training
    • Social Development
    • Sustainability
    • Technology
    • Trade/Investment
    • Webinars
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Africa
Other

Research shines light on power outages

22 Feb 2024 - by Staff reporter
 Source: Shutterstock
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

South Africa may suffer from frequent power outages through Eskom’s grid-securing strategy of load-shedding but is not on the list of most affected power-cut countries in the world, a UK outfit that monitors business electricity consumption has found.

According to the latest research by Utility Bidder, this dubious honour belongs to Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The Pacific Island “experiences more business-related power outages than any other country,” Utility Bidder has found.

“As of 2023, less than a quarter of residents in PNG have access to electricity. The minority of people who have access to electricity here face regular issues, evidenced by 503 power outages in this country every year.”

Another country infamous for power outages is Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula nation from where Houthi rebels have launched attacks on maritime vessels sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Apart from paralysing seatrade through the Suez Canal because of militia action opposing Israel for its war on Gaza, Yemen’s business sector is tripped up by as many as 466 power outages per year.

“It is no secret that this country has recently struggled to cope with its electricity demands. Over the last year, some reports have claimed that Yemen’s capital, Aden, has experienced power outages which have lasted almost a day,” Utility Bidder says.

But where do African countries feature in all of this?

Topping the list of the continent’s 10-most power-cut countries is Nigeria, with 394 outages annually, followed by the Central African Republic (CAR), Benin, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Burundi, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burkina Faso.

“Firms in Nigeria experience almost 33 power outages a month, equating to around 394 yearly – the third highest of any country on our list,” Utility Bidder says.

“Widespread blackouts have become common in Nigeria as their national electricity grid supply is unreliable.”

Utility Bidder also found that power cuts in the CAR cost firms the most money, “resulting in a loss of more than 25% in annual sales.

Looking globally, it says that “only 0.7% of sale value is lost due to power cuts for businesses in European countries, compared with 7.8% in Africa, 4.0% in Asia, and 2.2% in South America.”

In separate research, the World Bank has found that the following countries have the most business-affecting power cuts per month: Pakistan (75.20), Bangladesh (64.50), PNG (41.90), Iraq (40.90), Yemen (38.80), Nigeria (32.80) and the CAR (29.00).

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Treasury agrees to $1.5 billion loan

Infrastructure
Logistics
Trade/Investment

The funds will support critical structural reforms to enhance the efficiency of infrastructure services.

24 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Flower exports help Kenya cultivate competitiveness

Imports and Exports
Logistics

In 2024 Kenya exported 250 000 metric tonnes of flowers, up from 238 000 the year before.

24 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Outa calls for fines reprieve as licence backlog swells

Domestic
Road/Rail Freight

This comes after the organisation uncovered irregularities in the tender process for acquiring a new licence card printing machine.

24 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Local macadamia exports continue to dominate

Imports and Exports

SA’S production is still anticipated to reach between 90 000 and 94 000 tonnes.

24 Jun 2025
0 Comments

No end in sight to FMD crisis

Imports and Exports

As well as affecting the beef sector, the outbreak is also hitting the leather industry.

24 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Law enforcement in logistics, about time – RFA

Crime
Logistics

Friday’s clampdown followed a similar raid where some 80 foreign nationals were arrested.

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

South Africa’s competitiveness slips under GNU

Economy

It would be wise to build on established scientific infrastructure, placed 48th. – IMD

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

West-Med ports gain as CoGH bypass brings box surge

Logistics
Sea Freight
23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Retailer confidence continues to decline

Domestic
Economy

The spectre of a VAT hike and rising fuel levies dampened the mood in the second quarter.

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Oil prices spike on the back of US attack on Iran

Logistics

China receives at least 80% of its oil from sources in the Persian Gulf.

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

FedEx founder Frederick W Smith dies

Logistics
People

The airfreight visionary grew the firm from a tiny start‑up to a multinational powerhouse.

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Release of Iran-detained MSC vessel confirmed

Sea Freight

The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

23 Jun 2025
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Road & Rail 27 June 2025

Border Beat

Forum tightens net against border corruption
25 Jun 2025
Police clamp down on cross-border crime
17 Jun 2025
Zim's anti-smuggling measures delay legitimate freight operations
06 Jun 2025
More

Poll

Has South Africa's ports turned the corner?

Featured Jobs

New

Sea Export Controller (In-house)

Tiger Recruitment
East Rand
30 Jun
New

Export Controller

Lee Botti & Associates
Durban
30 Jun
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us