Infrastructure has been a major driver of strong economic growth in Africa in recent years and better infrastructure could make an even greater contribution.
Author/s: Sudeshna Banerjee, Quentin Wodon, Amadou Diallo, Taras Pushak, Helal Uddin, Clarence Tsimpo, and Vivien Foster
Access to infrastructure services is more limited in Africa than in any other region. Service affordability is part of the problem; gaps in supply are another. Second-best options often can be used to expand access, notably in water and sanitation.
Huge investments are needed if Africa’s power sector is to keep up with economic development and population growth. Regionally traded hydropower may be the best way to cut costs while protecting against oil price increases and curbing emissions.
Author/s: Robin Carruthers and Ranga Rajan Krishnamani with Siobhan Murray
Roads, rails, and airways connect firms to markets and individuals to schools, clinics, and jobs. The model used here allows national planners to compute the cost of developing a transport network to a desired level of social and economic connectivity.