Making Energy Policy in Africa More Pro-Poor and Evidence-Based

Better access to affordable energy is vital to improve the prospects for Africa's poor. Currently, the poor - most of whom are in rural areas - use traditional biomass to meet their cooking needs. The problem is that African energy policy is much more oriented towards elite uses rather than the majority of people. The bulk of government expenditure is going towards large-scale hydro, oil and gas investments.

The Africa Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN) is working to promote a more pro-poor and evidence-based policy framework. AFREPREN brings together 106 African energy researchers and policy makers from Africa who have a long-term interest in energy research and progressive policy-making.

Since its initiation in 1989, AFREPREN has successfully implemented over 220 national, regional and Africa-wide energy policy research projects involving over 200 African researchers and policy makers from 19 countries of eastern and southern Africa and forged close collaborative links with several northern and western African energy researchers, policy makers and institutions. ODI has been working with AFREPREN on a range of activities to generate better evidence and improve energy policy in Africa. A few examples are below.

• Research: AFREPREN has recently completed a study of the impact of NGOs and think tanks on energy policy in sub-Saharan Africa. The five-country (Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe) comparative study focused on assessing the impact of research on energy policy and to propose options that will ensure greater impact. Key findings focused on the challenges posed by the policy context, the need to include researchers in the policy process and the need to develop policy advocacy skills among CSOs.
• Networking and Training: A workshop in Nairobi, jointly organized by ODI and AFREPREN in December 2004, focused on how CSOs can use evidence to promote pro-poor policies. It was a forum for CSOs in Kenya to discuss the opportunities and challenges they face when they try to inform policy and share experiences about what works and doesn't work, learn about the latest worldwide research and practice in this area, and identify gaps for future work. For more information see the workshop report on the RAPID website.
• Policy Engagement: The project is trying to promote a more pro-poor and evidence-based energy policy in Kenya. Based on AFREPREN research, the main aim is to reduce the import tax and VAT on kerosene stoves thereby making such stoves affordable. The AFREPREN Director chaired a taskforce negotiating a performance framework between President's office and Ministry of Energy. Progress so far has included adding a target on reducing kerosene stove taxes to the performance framework for the Ministry of Energy. The challenge now is to actually get the change through cabinet and into policy. For more information see: www.odi.org.uk/rapid/projects/PPA0112

Further Information and References

• Karekezi, S., Kebede, B., Muthui, J. and Kimani, J. (2005) How to Influence Policy in the African Energy Sector: A Guide for Researchers. Unpublished.
  
• Kebede, B. and Dube, I. (Eds) (2004) Energy Services for the Urban Poor in Africa: Issues and Policy Implications. African Energy Policy Research Network, Nairobi and Zed Books, London.
  
• Ministry of Energy (2004) Sessional Paper No. 4 on Energy. Ministry of Energy, Nairobi.