Journal Article No. 1 - "Exploring the Connections between Mini-Grid Market Regulation and Energy Access Expansion: The Case of Nigeria"

About 140 million people across Africa are expected to gain access to electricity from mini grids by 2040. Nigeria, with the least dependable electricity supply on the continent, stands to benefit significantly from this boon. Accordingly, the government has put in place clear regulations to incentivise private investment and drive market growth. While the techno-economic dimensions of the growing mini-grid sector and the broader electricity industry have been extensively studied, less attention has been paid to analysing the impacts of the regulatory framework on the achievement of rural electrification and universal energy access goals. Drawing on qualitative data obtained from key regulatory and market actors in the Nigerian mini-grid sector, this paper interrogates the premise of pursuing widespread rural electrification through a regulatory framework that is primarily geared toward increasing market efficiency. The study finds that, while the current framework has enabled growth in the sector, complementary mechanisms are required to achieve equitable distribution of access, especially among the mainly rural populations dwelling on the fringes of mainstream electricity markets. The findings are instructive for practitioners and policy makers seeking evidence-informed approaches to achieving the goal of universal energy access in Africa. 

Full text available here: Mini-grid Market Regulation and Energy Access

• Journal Article 2: Strengthening commercial viability through greater inclusiveness in rural mini-grid development: Insights from Nigeria and Kenya, Accepted for publication in Energy for Sustainable Development
• Abstract: Amidst the prevalence of energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, mini grids have emerged in recent years as a promising solution, not only to bridge lingering electricity access gaps, but also to revitalise rural economies. The realisation of this promise however depends on the extent to which business models, i.e., the value that mini-grid companies offer to different customer segments, are able to respond to the peculiar needs of the largely low-income, agrarian contexts in which they operate. Private developers across the region have beenespecially innovative in evolving mini-grid business models over time; nonetheless, achieving the goal of commercial viability while serving the majority of rural dwellers remains elusive. Our paper analyses how two private mini-grid developers in Nigeria and Kenya have approached this challenge, introducing business models that address the needs of small- scale farmers for growth while targeting increased revenue for their respective companies.
  These cases provide evidence for the added value of employing a “Key Starter” model – one in which developers begin to facilitate inputs early on in agricultural value chains, in addition to the latter-stage investments emphasised in conventional approaches to powering the agriculture-energy nexus. Our analysis is grounded in the premise that broad-based development should be pursued in tandem with electricity access provision in low-income agrarian communities across Africa. We conclude that significant financial and policy support, as well as further research and iteration, will be required to realise the potential of the KeyStarter model to resolve the twin challenges of mini-grid viability and inclusiveness at scale.
  
  
  Keywords: Agriculture-energy nexus; Business models; Commercial viability; Mini grids; Rural development; sub-Saharan Africa.
• Download the paper here: ESD-minigrid commercial viability -Nigeria and Kenya.pdf           

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