Critical analysis of the electricity market in developing country municipality

Developing countries are experiencing significant urban and population growth. This amplifies the crisis of governance of essential public services. This study analyses the electricity market in Lubumbashi, one of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) municipalities. Surveys at different scales are conducted, assessing both access to electricity and the role of actors. 5270 households, 41 policymakers and 100 employees at different scales are interviewed. It has been found that the electricity market is deteriorated by illegal connections to the electricity grid, uncontrolled urban growth, corruption, and poverty. Besides, the quality and cost of electricity decrease with distance from the city centre. Therefore, privatization of the electricity sector would lead to low-cost electricity and high-quality service. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

Developing countries are facing significant challenges of urban and population growth, leading to a crisis in governance of essential public services. This study examines the electricity market in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and finds that illegal connections to the electricity grid, uncontrolled urban growth, corruption, and poverty have severely damaged the electricity market, resulting in decreased quality and increased cost of electricity with distance from the city center. Therefore, privatizing the electricity sector could provide low-cost and high-quality electricity services.