Electricity insufficiency in Africa: A product of inadequate manufacturing capacity

Abstract

Energy availability is fundamental and crucial for human survival and for national economic development. Energy consumption per capita of a country or region is a measure of quality of life and industrialisation of a country or region. This to certain extent explains why energy consumption is higher in technologically developed countries than the developing ones. Africa is faced with chronic power problems and this stalls her economic growth, in spite of availability of vast natural resources in the region. The number of Africans without access to modern energy is over 600 million and the projected year of adequate power accessibility in Africa is 2080. This study shows that the main hindrances to access to power in Africa are insufficient continental collective effort, inadequate application of academic based research findings, inadequate manufacturing infrastructure and overdependence on foreign technology, insufficient human capacity development and the high cost of power projects in the region. The study went further to identify small hydropower plant (SHP) technology capacity building to facilitate domestication, establishment of regional energy research institutions, transformation of research findings into real products, and adoption of Asian developing countries’ energy development approach as formidable ways of tackling power problems and power sustainability in Africa.

Keywords:

• consumption
• development
• energy
• manufacturing
• power
• research
• R&D

JEL classification:

• L94
• N67
• N77
• O55

Acknowledgement

The authors hereby acknowledge the Centre for Engineering Postgraduate Studies (CEPS)/HVDC/Smart Grid Centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.