When does electrification work? Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa
This policy brief presents findings from a study aimed at understanding the economic impacts of rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa and the factors influencing its successes and failures in terms of electricity access, adoption, and usage.
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Figueiredo Walter and Moneke Policy Brief December 2024.pdf
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- This policy brief presents findings from a study aimed at understanding the economic impacts of rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the factors influencing its successes and failures in terms of electricity access, adoption, and usage.
- This brief provides three insights for policy:
- Current grid infrastructure appears severely misallocated across space in large swaths of rural sub-Saharan Africa.
- "Last mile" problems in electrification can be overcome by identifying suitable productive uses of electricity across locations, either preexisting or potential, as anchor customers.
- Improved targeting of grid electricity across rural locations implies substantial gains.