The Impact of Governance and Political Systems on Rural Electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Rural electrification remains uneven across Sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting persistent institutional and political challenges. This study evaluates how governance quality and political systems shape rural electricity access in six countries representing both federal and unitary regimes over the period 2003–2022. Using panel data from the World Bank, the analysis applies descriptive statistics, group comparison tests, and multiple regression models to assess the influence of governance indicators and structural factors. The results show that federal countries exhibit higher rural electrification levels than unitary states, and that control of corruption and rule of law are significant predictors of access. A large rural population share strongly reduces access, underscoring enduring structural constraints. The findings demonstrate that governance quality is central to electrification performance and that institutional reforms, strengthened administrative capacity, and context-specific strategies are essential for advancing progress toward universal energy access.