The Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) definesaccess to electricity according to a spectrum that rangesfrom Tier 0 (no access) to Tier 5 (full access) throughseven attributes: Capacity, Availability,Reliability,Quality, Affordability, Formality, and Health and Safety.The final aggregate tierfor a given household is based onthe lowest tier that that household attained among alltheattributes. The MTF survey data show that, as of 2017, 1.4million Zambian households (42.4 percent) have access toelectricity through either national grid or off-gridsources, while the remaining 1.9 million households (57.6percent) have no access to electricity. Out of the 42.4percent with electricity, most (37.7 percent of allhouseholds) are connected to the nationalgrid, and theremaining 4.7 percent primarily use off-grid solutions. Thedifference in access toelectricity between urban and ruralareas is substantial: most urban households (74.8percent)access electricity through the national grid, yetthe majority of rural households (88.1 percent)have noaccess to any kind of electricity source. The MTF definesTier 1 or above as havingaccess to electricity based onSustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.1.1. Nationwide, 40.3percentof Zambian households are in Tier 1 or above forelectricity access. Specifically, 75.2 percentof urbanhouseholds and 8.7 percent of rural households are in Tier 1or above. Grid users are mainly concentrated in Tiers 3through 5, while user of off-grid solutions are primarily inTiers 0 through 2. Nationwide, 59.7 percent of householdsare in Tier 0 for access to electricity, and the majority ofthem do not have any source of electricity. For householdswithout any source of electricity, it will be critical toprovide either an on-grid connection or an off-grid energysolution. Addressing high connection costs and offeringflexible payment plans are likely to increase thegrid-electrification rate. Grid infrastructure is availablein 58.4 percent of the enumeration areas (EAs) in thecountry; however, only 37.7 percent of Zambian householdsare connected to the grid. The low uptake rate of gridconnection opens up the possibility to increase gridelectrification rate by around 20 percent through connectinghouseholds that are "under the grid," that is,directly beneath existing grid infrastructure. Thepenetration rate for off-grid solutions can also be improvedby addressing Affordability issues through payment plans.Grid-connected households are mostly in higher tiers: 97.3percent of grid-connected households are in Tier 3 or above,with 56.1 percent being in the highest tier, Tier 5.Challenges with Availability, Quality, and Reliability arethe main issues preventing grid-connected households frombeing in the highest tier. Households using off-grid solarsolutions are in Tiers 0 through 3, and they are mainlyconstrained by Capacity and Availability issues. Althoughthe use of solar solutions is a relatively recent phenomenonin Zambia, 77.5 percent of solar users are satisfied withtheir current service from solar devices.
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