Co-production of access and hybridisation of configurations: a socio-technical approach to urban electricity in Cotonou and Ibadan

ABSTRACT

The article examines the dynamics of access to electricity in two West African cities: Cotonou (Benin) and Ibadan (Nigeria). Due to poor supply from the grid, households are developing varied ways of accessing electricity, based on different socio-technical dispositifs. In this paper we first demonstrate that access to electricity is based on co-production processes that must be approached from a multi-scale perspective (from the household to the urban scale). We then argue that particular attention to the socio-technical and spatial dimension of co-production arrangements makes it possible to interpret urban electrical configurations and their evolution. We thus show that co-production processes, relying on many actors and technologies to meet a growing and diversified demand for electricity in cities, support an ongoing movement of extension-hybridisation of electricity configurations on an urban scale, thus offering an interesting perspective on power changes in sub-Saharan Africa.

KEYWORDS:

• Co-production
• access to electricity
• urban electricity configuration
• hybridisation
• Cotonou
• Ibadan
• sub-Saharan Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. This article is based on the doctoral research undertaken by Mélanie Rateau (Latts – Université Paris Est), under the joint supervision of Sylvy Jaglin (Latts – UPEM) and Armelle Choplin (University of Geneva). The fieldwork in 2017 and 2018 was made possible by the financial support of ANR Hybridelec and institutional support by the IRD in Benin and the IFRA in Nigeria.

2. The District Head in Ladji describes his neighbourhood as being on ‘the periphery of Cotonou’. Based on an interview conducted on 19/07/2018 by Mélanie Rateau.

3. Interview with an IBEDC executive conducted on 12/07/2018 by Mélanie Rateau.

4. Source: https://iwin.org.ng/daily-hours-of-supply-availability (page accessed on 22/04/19).

5. Interviews with different SBEE managers conducted on 4 and 10/07/2017 by Mélanie Rateau.

6. Solar mini-kits usually have the capacity to power three light bulbs and an electric socket.

7. Interview with a sales manager for a solar kit brand conducted on 28/07/2019 by Mélanie Rateau.

8. Interview with the chairman of the Benin Water and Electricity Association conducted on 04/04/2018 by Mélanie Rateau.

9. Interview with an IBEDC customer conducted on 21/07/2018 by Mélanie Rateau.

10. Interview with the manager of the Oje charging kiosk conducted on 02/06/2018 by Mélanie Rateau, translated from Yoruba by Adejoke Iyabadan.

11. Interview with a Fiyégnon household conducted on 14/06/2018 by Mélanie Rateau.

Additional information

Funding

The project was supported by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche - France, project “Electric Hybrids: emerging forms of energy transition in southern cities – HYBRIDELEC” https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-17-CE05-0002 https://hybridelec.hypotheses.org/

Notes on contributors

Mélanie Rateau

Mélanie Rateau is preparing a PhD in geography at Latts (UMR 8134), ENPC, jointly supervised by Sylvy Jaglin (Latts) and Armelle Choplin (University of Geneva). Her research focuses on the diversification of methods of delivering urban services in cities of the Global South, in particular waste recovery in South America and electricity supply in West Africa. [email protected]

Sylvy Jaglin

Sylvy Jaglin is a professor of urban planning at the University of Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée and a researcher at Latts (Laboratoire Techniques, Territoires et Sociétés). Her research focuses on issues relating to utilities policies, transition in sociotechnical infrastructures and service access in sub-Saharan African cities. She is also a member of Labex Futurs Urbains, where she co-coordinates the research group on City and Energy. [email protected]