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Powering Africa: Facing the Financing and Reform Challenges

Author

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  • Anton Eberhard

Abstract

Africa faces chronic power problems, including insufficient generation capacity, low connectivity, poor reliability and high costs, all of which constrain development. Power capacity additions in Sub-Saharan Africa (excl. SA) since the 1990?s were minuscule. Historically, investments in the power sector in Africa have come mostly from governments or public utilities (with foreign aid support). In recent years these sources of funding have been flat. The fastest new sources of funding are from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and from China. To understand the determinant of the new sources, the paper analyses the effect of several key factor and find non-expected results, such as there is no obvious correlation between unbundling, or the presence of an independent regulator, and the level of private investment through IPPs; or that there is no correlation between Chinese investment in generation and resource rich countries (dispelling the myth that Chinese firms are only interested in Africa?s resources). The paper delivers several recommendations that indicate that more attention needs to be given to issues related to planning, procurement and contracting as well as securing revenue flows. JEL Classification: O13, O25, L94.

Suggested Citation

  • Anton Eberhard, 2015. "Powering Africa: Facing the Financing and Reform Challenges," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 23(HS), pages 39-48.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:edddbu:edd_hs03_0039
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Marion Mercier & Anda David & Ramón Mahia & Rafael de Arce, 2016. "Reintegration upon return: insights from Ecuadorian returnees from Spain," Post-Print hal-01726275, HAL.
    2. Gregory, Julian & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2019. "Rethinking the governance of energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: Reviewing three academic perspectives on electricity infrastructure investment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 344-354.
    3. Adebayo Fashina & Mustafa Mundu & Oluwole Akiyode & Lookman Abdullah & Dahiru Sanni & Living Ounyesiga, 2018. "The Drivers and Barriers of Renewable Energy Applications and Development in Uganda: A Review," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-31, May.
    4. Gregory, Julian & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2019. "The financial risks and barriers to electricity infrastructure in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique: A critical and systematic review of the academic literature," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 145-153.
    5. repec:avg:wpaper:en7743 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Sarah BOTTON & Sébastien HARDY & Franck POUPEAU, 2017. "Water from the heights, water from the grassroots: the Governance of common dynamics and public services in La Paz-El Alto," Working Paper af116c25-9d27-46bd-bbbc-3, Agence française de développement.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    electricity; Africa; Independent Power Producers; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O25 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Industrial Policy
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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