Abstract
Introduction: Electricity access plays a critical role in national development, particularly in influencing energy consumption patterns. In Nigeria, the disparity between rural and urban access to electricity contributes to uneven energy use, affecting socioeconomic outcomes. Aim: This study investigates the impact of access to electricity on energy consumption in Nigeria, with a focus on rural, urban, and aggregate access. Methods: The Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method was employed to analyze data and estimate the influence of electricity access on energy consumption across rural and urban areas. Results: Findings reveal that rural access to electricity does not significantly affect energy consumption, while urban access has a statistically significant and positive effect. Aggregate access, though positive, remains statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The study concludes that improving electricity access alone, especially in rural areas, may not be sufficient to significantly enhance energy consumption. A more comprehensive approach that includes policy reform, infrastructure development, and economic planning is essential to bridge the electricity access gap and improve energy use in Nigeria..