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Sustainability Burden or Boost? Examining the Effect of Public Debt on Renewable Energy Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Favour C. Onuoha

    (Evangel University Akaeze, Nigeria)

  • Stephen K. Dimnwobi

    (Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria)

  • Kingsley I. Okere

    (Gregory University, Uturu, Nigeria)

  • Chukwunonso Ekesiobi

    (Igbariam, Nigeria)

Abstract

Given that the development of renewable energy is regarded as a sustainable alternative to the realization of environmental quality, it is not surprising that the discussion of the sustainability of the world’s energy sources continues to expand. While renewable energy has a negligible impact on environmental degradation, developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is restricted by the capital-intensive investment requirements of the burgeoning renewable energy market. To explore the significance of available funding sources on renewable energy development in the region, this study investigates the influence of public debt on renewable energy consumption (REC) in a panel of 29 SSA countries, in full and sub-regional categorizations. A combination of the instrumental variable generalized method of moment (IV-GMM) approach and the two-stage least squares estimator was applied to achieve the goal of the study. Overall, our findings indicate that public debt, carbon emission, financial development, and economic growth exert a negative and significant linkage with renewable energy, while urbanization has a positive and significant influence. Aware of the study findings, appropriate policy prescriptions are proposed to improve the debt-financed funding for the development of the renewable energy sector in SSA.

Suggested Citation

  • Favour C. Onuoha & Stephen K. Dimnwobi & Kingsley I. Okere & Chukwunonso Ekesiobi, 2023. "Sustainability Burden or Boost? Examining the Effect of Public Debt on Renewable Energy Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 23/031, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    • Handle: RePEc:exs:wpaper:23/031
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Onyekachukwu Ernest Ebenebe & Ifunanya Miracle Ejimgini & Uju Regina Ezenekwe & Christopher U. Kalu, 2024. "Bridging Health Divides: Remittances and Health Expenditure in Nigeria[1]," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 24-41, September.
    2. Clement Olalekan Olaniyi & Nicholas Mbaya Odhiambo, 2025. "Do natural resource rents aid renewable energy transition in resource‐rich African countries? The roles of institutional quality and its threshold," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(2), pages 1330-1375, May.
    3. C.O. Olaniyi & N.M. Odhiambo, 2024. "Do Natural Resource Rents Aid Renewable Energy Transition In Resource-Rich African Countries? The Roles Of Institutional Quality And Its Threshold," Working Papers WP032024, African Economic and Social Research Institute (AESRI).
    4. Kingsley I. Okere & Stephen Kelechi Dimnwobi & Ismail O. Fasanya, 2025. "Striding towards a greener future: Unlocking the potential of natural resources and employment dynamics in green energy transition in sub‐Saharan Africa," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(1), pages 329-346, January.
    5. Haider Mahmood & Ateeq ur Rehman Irshad & Muhammad Tanveer, 2024. "Do innovation and renewable energy transition play their role in environmental sustainability in Western Europe?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Okere, Kingsley Ikechukwu & Dimnwobi, Stephen Kelechi & Ekesiobi, Chukwunonso & Onuoha, Favour Chidinma, 2023. "Turning the tide on energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: Does public debt matter?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    7. Auteri, Monica & Mele, Marco & Ruble, Isabella & Magazzino, Cosimo, 2024. "The double sustainability: The link between government debt and renewable energy," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 29(C).

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