Foreign Direct Investment and Energy Poverty in Africa: The Role of International Partnerships

Abstract

Despite the technological advances that our societies are witnessing and the efforts to accelerate the energy transition towards environmentally friendly forms, a significant number of people worldwide, especially in Africa, still live in energy poverty. This is due to several challenges, including the poor infrastructure and limited investments in national electricity grids. On the other hand, the African continent has recently received foreign investments from international investors in different sectors that may potentially influence energy access. This paper examines the channels through which Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can influence energy poverty in Africa, with a particular focus on FDI from China