Financial inclusion and energy poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between financial inclusion and energy poverty reduction, proxied with access to electricity and clean cooking technologies and fuels, using data from 23 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 2004 to 2019. Evidence from dynamic ordinary least squares, fully modified ordinary least squares, and canonical correlation regression techniques showed that financial inclusion significantly reduces energy poverty in SSA. However, financial inclusion's impact on energy poverty reduction differs significantly among individual SSA countries. We recommend that policies promoting financial inclusion would reduce energy poverty.