IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/chi/journl/v2y2013i4p65-74.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The determinants of electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Iniwasikima D. Poloamina

    (University of Ibadan)

  • Ufot Clement Umoh

    (University of Ibadan)

Abstract

Low access to electricity consumption distorts development prospects. In some parts of the world, individuals have to live with little or no access to electricity which has prompted decision makers to take considerable actions at increasing access to electricity globally. These actions are important considering the fact that modern energy consumption accelerates economic growth, reduces inequality, poverty, as well as environmental pollution and solid fuel consumption. In spite of these actions, the prevalence of limited access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa demands empirical research to ascertain the factors that undermine access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa considering the fact that not much has been done empirically in this area. Consequently, the determinants of electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa was the focus of this study. The methodological framework applied adopted the percentage of population with access to electricity as the dependent variable. The independent variables were constrained by data availability. The findings revealed that several factors have led to the low level of electricity consumption in Sub-Saharan African countries. Income per capita, transmission and distribution losses, proportion of rural population, population density, dependency ratio and savings were found to affect electricity access consistently in Sub-Saharan Africa. The results further revealed that the credibility of government – government effectiveness has also hindered electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa. Access to electricity as revealed by the results is a normal and necessary good. The findings have considerable lessons for policy interventions that will aid in reducing poor electricity consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Iniwasikima D. Poloamina & Ufot Clement Umoh, 2013. "The determinants of electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 2(4), pages 65-74, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:chi:journl:v:2:y:2013:i:4:p:65-74
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.jyoungeconomist.com/images/stories/EEQEL_V2_N4_December_2014_pp_065_074_Umoh.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Démurger, Sylvie & Fournier, Martin, 2011. "Poverty and firewood consumption: A case study of rural households in northern China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 512-523.
    2. Clinch, J. Peter & Healy, John D., 2001. "Cost-benefit analysis of domestic energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 113-124, January.
    3. Tatcha Sudtasan & Komsan Suriya, 2012. "Nuclear power plant after Fukushima incident: Lessons from Japan to Thailand for choosing power plant options," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 1(3), pages 1-8, September.
    4. Khandker, Shahidur R. & Barnes, Douglas F. & Samad, Hussain A., 2012. "Are the energy poor also income poor? Evidence from India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1-12.
    5. World Bank, 2012. "World Development Indicators 2012," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6014, December.
    6. Sarunut Kunanopadon & Komsan Suriya, 2012. "What would happen to the economy when energy crops replace food crops? A case of gasohol production in Thailand," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 1(2), pages 111-122, June.
    7. Karekezi, Stephen, 2002. "Poverty and energy in Africa--A brief review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(11-12), pages 915-919, September.
    8. Masera, Omar R. & Saatkamp, Barbara D. & Kammen, Daniel M., 2000. "From Linear Fuel Switching to Multiple Cooking Strategies: A Critique and Alternative to the Energy Ladder Model," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 2083-2103, December.
    9. Walker, Gordon & Day, Rosie, 2012. "Fuel poverty as injustice: Integrating distribution, recognition and procedure in the struggle for affordable warmth," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 69-75.
    10. Turkson, John & Wohlgemuth, Norbert, 2001. "Power sector reform and distributed generation in sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 135-145, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Adams, Samuel & Klobodu, Edem Kwame Mensah & Apio, Alfred, 2018. "Renewable and non-renewable energy, regime type and economic growth," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 755-767.
    2. Nyakundi M. Michieka, 2015. "Short- and Long-Run Analysis of Factors Affecting Electricity Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 5(3), pages 639-646.
    3. Dmitriy Li & Jeong Hwan Bae & Meenakshi Rishi, 2023. "Sustainable Development and SDG-7 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Balancing Energy Access, Economic Growth, and Carbon Emissions," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(1), pages 112-137, February.
    4. Chakamera, Chengete & Alagidede, Paul, 2018. "Electricity crisis and the effect of CO2 emissions on infrastructure-growth nexus in Sub Saharan Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 945-958.
    5. Remy Tehero & Emmanuel Brou Aka & Murat Cokgezen, 2020. "Drivers of the Quality of Electricity Supply," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 183-195.
    6. Debbra Toria Nipo & Jaratin Lily & Sidah Idris & Saizal Pinjaman & Imbarine Bujang, 2023. "The Nexus between Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Electricity Access, Governance and Human Development: Evidence from Asia-Pacific Countries," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-10, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fidelis O. Ogwumike & Uchechukwu M. Ozughalu & Gabriel A. Abiona, 2014. "Household Energy Use and Determinants: Evidence from Nigeria," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 4(2), pages 248-262.
    2. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Behera, Bhagirath & Ali, Akhter, 2017. "Factors determining household use of clean and renewable energy sources for lighting in Sub-Saharan Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 661-672.
    3. Burke, Paul J. & Dundas, Guy, 2015. "Female Labor Force Participation and Household Dependence on Biomass Energy: Evidence from National Longitudinal Data," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 424-437.
    4. He, Xiaoping & Reiner, David, 2016. "Electricity demand and basic needs: Empirical evidence from China's households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 212-221.
    5. Guta, Dawit Diriba, 2014. "Effect of fuelwood scarcity and socio-economic factors on household bio-based energy use and energy substitution in rural Ethiopia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 217-227.
    6. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Behera, Bhagirath & Ali, Akhter, 2016. "Patterns and determinants of household use of fuels for cooking: Empirical evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 117(P1), pages 93-104.
    7. Wolde-Rufael, Yemane, 2006. "Electricity consumption and economic growth: a time series experience for 17 African countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1106-1114, July.
    8. Cole, Matthew A. & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Strobl, Eric, 2014. "Climate Change, Hydro-Dependency, and the African Dam Boom," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 84-98.
    9. Baptista, Idalina & Plananska, Jana, 2017. "The landscape of energy initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa: Going for systemic change or reinforcing the status quo?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 1-8.
    10. Vásquez Lavin, Felipe & Barrientos, Manuel & Castillo, Álvaro & Herrera, Iván & Ponce Oliva, Roberto D., 2020. "Firewood certification programs: Key attributes and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    11. Jack Gregory & David I. Stern, 2012. "Fuel Choices in Rural Maharashtra," CCEP Working Papers 1207, Centre for Climate & Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    12. Satyasiba Das & Suchitra Pal, 2019. "Why not Liquefied Petroleum Gas? 4A Matrix of Energy Choice among Urban Below Poverty Line Households in India," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(3), pages 414-419.
    13. Christophe Muller & Huijie Yan, 2018. "Household Fuel Use in Rural China," AMSE Working Papers 1808, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    14. Zhang, Rui & Wei, Taoyuan & Glomsrød, Solveig & Shi, Qinghua, 2014. "Bioenergy consumption in rural China: Evidence from a survey in three provinces," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 136-145.
    15. Diallo, Arouna & Moussa, Richard K., 2020. "The effects of solar home system on welfare in off-grid areas: Evidence from Côte d’Ivoire," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    16. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Behera, Bhagirath & Ali, Akhter & Marenya, Paswel, 2017. "A ladder within a ladder: Understanding the factors influencing a household's domestic use of electricity in four African countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 167-181.
    17. Muller, Christophe & Yan, Huijie, 2018. "Household fuel use in developing countries: Review of theory and evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 429-439.
    18. Adusah-Poku, Frank & Takeuchi, Kenji, 2019. "Household energy expenditure in Ghana: A double-hurdle model approach," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 266-277.
    19. Uche M. Ozughalu & Fidelis O. Ogwumike, 2019. "Extreme Energy Poverty Incidence and Determinants in Nigeria: A Multidimensional Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 997-1014, April.
    20. Rajesh Kalli & Pradyot Ranjan Jena & Shunsuke Managi, 2022. "Subsidized LPG Scheme and the Shift to Cleaner Household Energy Use: Evidence from a Tribal Community of Eastern India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electricity access; Regional development; Rural development; Government effectiveness; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:chi:journl:v:2:y:2013:i:4:p:65-74. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Komsan Suriya (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fecmuth.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.