Overcoming the Challenges of Rural Electrification through Stakeholders’ Participation in Policy Making: Case of Cameroon

Abstract

Energy plays a pivotal role in shaping the growth of Cameroon and in its drive to become an emergent economy, the country‘s Vision 2035 does not fail to underscore the importance of this resource. With only about 20% of rural electricity access in the country, about 46% of the country‘s population risks economic stagnation. Since the creation of the Rural Electrification Agency in 1998, rural electrification rates have improved from 10.7% in 1997, to 20% in 2017. This slow growth in rural electrification access rates triggers this study by asking why there still is a slow rate of rural electrification in Cameroon. The objectives are to find out the challenges to rural electrification in Cameroon and propose a model for rural electrification. Being guided by the stakeholder theory, the study used the survey research design. With the study being qualitative, data collection was through primary and secondary sources with the semi-structured interview and personal observations as instruments for primary data collection. Imploring the purposive sampling technique, a sample of 10 respondents were selected for this study and data was analysed through in-depth content analysis. Findings showed the barriers to rural electrification in Cameroon to include limited co-ordination of the rural electrification sector, Lack of powers by the Rural Electrification Agency to make rural electrification policies, lack of funds, lack of grassroots and other stakeholder participation in the policy making process, insecurity and reliance on grid extension for rural electrification. It was recommended that a bottom-up rural electrification policy making process be adopted with the proposed model applied, decentralised generation should be promoted, subsidies and tax exemptions should be provided for RET equipment being imported into the country. Information, funds and technical expertise should be made available to local banks and cooperatives