electricity infrastructure

Electricity clearly improves people’s quality of life. But in Rwanda, even one decade after communities were connected, rural electrification had limited effects on incomes, employment, and broader economic development.

Electrification is often seen as the spark for development. But in much of Africa, the biggest benefits may come not from households plugging in, but from the community services that light up around them.

The economic benefits of expanding electricity access likely do not outweigh the costs in small rural villages, but likely do in larger communities.