Electricity Market Reforms in Africa

The last two and half decades have seen a widespread implementation of the liberalized model of electricity sector reform in many countries-including Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Notwithstanding, studies on the impacts of the reforms have been limited-particularly for SSA countries. This book reviews and discusses implementing the liberalized model of electricity sector reform in SSA. The book also empirically investigates the impact of private sector participation (PSP) on electricity sector performance in 33 SSA countries, using a robust panel Vector Auto Regression (VAR) analysis. The study finds generally poor implementation status and experiences as well as little or no improvement in the performance of the electricity sector as a result of the reforms, in the reviewed and analyzed SSA countries. The study suggests the implementation of more tailored reform alternatives that suit existing political, social and institutional characteristics and conditions of the SSA countries. It also suggests the implementation of hybrid electricity markets and complementary regulatory measures as possible reform alternatives for improving electricity sector reform outcomes in SSA.