Publication:
Who Uses Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa? Findings from Household Surveys

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dc.contributor.authorKojima, Masami
dc.contributor.authorZhou, Xin
dc.contributor.authorHan, Jace Jeesun
dc.contributor.authorde Wit, Joeri
dc.contributor.authorBacon, Robert
dc.contributor.authorTrimble, Chris
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-09T14:32:03Z
dc.date.available2016-09-09T14:32:03Z
dc.date.issued2016-08
dc.description.abstractAnalysis of household expenditure surveys since 2008 in 22 Sub-Saharan African countries shows that one-third of all people use electricity. As expected, users are disproportionately urban and rich. In communities with access to electricity, lack of affordability is the greatest barrier to household connection. Lifeline rates enabling the poor to use grid electricity vary in availability, with six countries allowing 30 kilowatt-hours or less of electricity usage a month at low prices. Affordability challenges are aggravated by sharing of meters by several households -- denying them access to lifeline rates -- and high connection costs in many countries, made worse by demands from utility staff for bribes in some countries. Collection of detailed information on residential schedules enabled calculation of the percentage of total household expenditures needed for electricity at the subsistence and other levels. Affordability varied across countries, with grid electricity even at the subsistence level being out of reach for the poor in half the countries and even more so once connection charges are considered. Examination of the gender of the head of household shows that female-headed households are not disadvantaged in electricity use once income and the place of residence (urban or rural) are taken into account. However, female-headed households tend to be poorer, making it all the more important to focus on helping the poor for the goal of achieving universal access. Installing individual meters and subsidizing installation, encouraging prepaid metering so as to avoid disconnection and reconnection charges, reformulating lifeline blocks and rates as appropriate, and stamping out corruption to eliminate bribe-taking can all help the poor.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/08/26676887/uses-electricity-sub-saharan-africa-findings-household-surveys
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-7789
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/25029
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 7789
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectPOWER TARIFF STRUCTURE
dc.subjectelectricity
dc.subjectaffordability
dc.subjectaccess
dc.subjectsubsidies
dc.subjectpoverty gap
dc.subjecthouseholds
dc.subjectgender
dc.subjectexpenditure surveys
dc.titleWho Uses Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa? Findings from Household Surveysen
dc.typeWorking Paperen
dc.typeDocument de travailfr
dc.typeDocumento de trabajoes
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleWho Uses Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa? Findings from Household Surveys
okr.date.disclosure2016-08-09
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/08/26676887/uses-electricity-sub-saharan-africa-findings-household-surveys
okr.guid967821470756082684
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-7789
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum090224b08577e7b8_2_0
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum26676887
okr.identifier.reportWPS7789
okr.importedtrue
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2016/08/09/090224b0844d3f04/1_0/Rendered/PDF/Who0uses0elect0om0household0surveys.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.geographicalSub-Saharan Africa
okr.topicEnergy::Electric Power
okr.topicEnergy::Energy Consumption
okr.topicGender::Gender and Energy
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Poverty Monitoring & Analysis
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Services & Transfers to Poor
okr.unitEnergy and Extractives Global Practice Group
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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