What More Can Be Achieved If Electricity Access Is No Longer a Problem in Africa?

I recently stumbled upon a post about connecting 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. I then went further to read about it and found that this partnership between the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group could reduce the number of people in Africa without access to electricity by half.

What would this mean for us?

Perhaps it could lead to some African countries being elevated from the status of 'developing countries".

Out of curiosity and setting aside the intuitive term 'developing country' often used to describe most African nations, I decided to find out how these categories are defined.

Developing countries are considered to have a low gross national income (GNI) per capita compared to developed nations. They mostly rely heavily on agriculture or raw material extraction rather than industrialization and services. A developing country is indicated by a lower Human Development Index (HDI) score, which reflects life expectancy, education, and income, along with high rates of poverty and inequality, with many people living below the poverty line.

Also, these countries often face challenges in infrastructure, including limited access to transportation, energy, water supply, and sanitation. They generally have lower access to education and healthcare, reflected in higher rates of illiteracy, child mortality, and disease prevalence.

Then, let's get to the part of political instability, corruption, or weak governance, affecting policy implementation and investment attraction.

Can access to electricity shift a country’s status?

I have thought about the above question and asked myself, how can reliable electricity access change the status of a country - or expedite its development?

While several indicators (not only electricity access) can move a country from developing to developed, electricity can play a key role.

Small, medium and large-scale businesses spend a huge percentage of their revenue on power because of the need to adopt diesel/gas generators as a result of insufficient and unreliable electricity supply from the grid. What would happen if this is turned around, and there is access to reliable electricity from the grid (which is cheaper of course)?

Obviously, there would be a shift in economic growth and activities, encouraging industrialization, and helping diversify economies beyond agriculture and raw material extraction. This will also encourage foreign investors.

Access to electricity enhances the Human Development Index (HDI) by improving life expectancy, education, and income. Improved healthcare facilities can operate more effectively with electricity, reducing mortality rates.

Meanwhile, educational institutions can leverage technology and provide better learning environments with access to reliable electricity. I think we can all agree that quality education has the power to transform a nation.

Access to electricity is equally important for tackling poverty and inequality. There is the creation of jobs and better support for small and medium enterprises, helping to lift people out of poverty and empower marginalized communities. This contributes to more equitable growth and helps reduce income inequality.

Most importantly, access to reliable electricity can impact the quality of life of people, and a more prosperous population is likely to demand better governance, leading to stronger institutions and improved political stability.

Good governance can help drive infrastructure development, and facilitate improvements in transportation, water supply, and sanitation systems, leading to better living conditions and increased access to essential services.

And many more...

If you succeeded in reading until the end, you are my real fan hahaha. So, I would love to read from you on how you think electricity access can transform a nation.

Till I write to you again

Yours in the energy world,

Oluwanifemi Ojo