Institutional Setting of Energy Companies in Africa: A Review.

AFRICA; SUB-Saharan Africa

Energy availability is a major prerequisite for physical and socio-economic development in both the rural and urban settings. There is a need to foster the assurance of energy security in the power sector, its availability and reliability in other to uphold any meaningful development as well as pave way for more research and technological advancement to bring about evolution of man’s world. Access of the population of a nation to adequate electrical power supply for domestic and industrial or business use is one of the major determinants which separate developed countries from developing countries. Without question, Africa as a continent; and to be more specific Sub-Saharan Africa, is the least developed area in the world. This study reveals that slow rate of development can be traced to low access to modern energy in the region, as a result of inadequate reform programs, poor energy policies, low level of investments, outdated energy infrastructure and low technology transfer rate. The use of renewable energy technologies is also minimal in the region and electrical power generation is majorly dominated by hydroelectric power generation and conventional fossil fuels. This report reviews the current institutional setting of some energy utility companies in African nations in order to highlight problems they face as well as look towards a solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIP Conference Proceedings is the property of American Institute of Physics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)