Abstract

In the midst of an energy crisis, sub-Saharan Africa is a global outlier with respect to power infrastructure and is literally without power. Nearly 600 million Africans—roughly two-thirds of the region—currently lack access to consistent, reliable, and affordable electricity, constituting a significant barrier to economic and social development, the deprivation of a number of socio-economic rights, and a cause of environmental degradation. The Power Africa Initiative, announced in June 2013, seeks to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years through an innovative public-private partnership between United States governmental agencies, private sector energy and infrastructure firms, and six African governments. This paper fills a gap in both the legal and policy literatures by identifying the implementation challenges to Power Africa and the broader theoretical question of the institutional and regulatory obstacles to power sector reform and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on the political economy and international development literatures, this paper contends that low state capacity and the presence of urban bias in African states represent significant implementation challenges to Power Africa. Specifically, weak and incapacitated state apparatuses and a lack of state autonomy vis-à-vis urban elites have created centralized hybrid power markets and regulatory frameworks that are systematically biased against the extension of electricity into rural areas and have marginalized independent power producers (IPPs) and potential rural consumers. Ultimately, without additional institutional and regulatory reforms, the core goal of Power Africa—rural electrification—will be significantly limited by a lack of commercial sustainability for independent power projects and a lack of consumer affordability to access power.

Highlights

  • Shango exists in Yoruba ritual thought as the deity of thunder and lightning

  • Weak and incapacitated state apparatuses and a lack of state autonomy vis-à-vis urban elites have created centralized hybrid power markets and regulatory frameworks that are systematically biased against the extension of electricity into rural areas and have marginalized independent power producers (IPPs) and potential rural consumers

  • Shango would undoubtedly be displeased with the current state of sub-Saharan Africa, as the region is a “global outlier with respect to power infrastructure and is literally without power.”[2]. The power crisis in sub-Saharan Africa is best conceptualized as a “paradox of plenty.”[3]. Despite being endowed with abundant renewable energy resources,[4] nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa—roughly two-thirds of the region—lack access to electricity.[5]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Shango exists in Yoruba ritual thought as the deity of thunder and lightning. the patron deity of the Old Oyo Empire was established in the fourteenth century, the potency of the belief in the powers of Shango has continued to present day. The policy literature has identified a number of institutional and regulatory problems associated with power sectors in sub-Saharan Africa, little attention has been paid to why these obstacles persist. This paper addresses both the existing gap within the literature on the implementation challenges to Power Africa and the broader theoretical question of the institutional and regulatory obstacles to power sector reform and development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Empowering development: the impetus for power Africa
The Power Africa Initiative
When the center holds: intergovernmental relations of the power sector
Findings
Conclusion: unchaining Shango
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call