Beyond Connections: Measuring the Economic Impact of Energy Access
Access to reliable energy is widely recognised as a foundation of economic development. Yet, important questions remain about how energy access translates into productivity, enterprise growth, resilience, and broader economic outcomes, and how these impacts can be measured, particularly in the informal economies where much of Africa's economic activity takes place.
This invitation-only roundtable will bring together researchers, policymakers, investors, companies, and energy access practitioners to explore what we know about the economic impacts of energy access, where the evidence is already strong, and where important gaps remain. The interactive discussion will consider how a more robust and decision-useful evidence base can help shape policy, investment, and market development.
The conversation comes at a timely moment. Off-grid standalone solar has become one of the fastest-growing routes to electricity access, providing hundreds of millions of households and enterprises with reliable power where grid access remains slow, unreliable, or uneconomic. Yet, many of the economic impacts of first-time and basic electricity access remain difficult to capture through conventional datasets, particularly in informal and rural contexts.
Drawing on emerging research from Genesis Analytics, GOGLA, Sun King, and others, participants will examine how energy access influences enterprise performance, household productivity, economic resilience, and participation in both the formal and informal economy. The roundtable will also explore what kinds of evidence are most credible, policy-relevant, and feasible to generate as governments, development finance institutions, and private investors increasingly seek interventions that support economic growth, resilience, and productivity.
Confirmed Participants:
Abba Aliyu, MD, Rural Electrification Agency, Government of Nigeria
Dr Brian Isabirye, Renewable Energy Commissioner, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), Government of Uganda
Karima Ola, Partner, LeapFrog Investments
Wale Aboyade, Global Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations, Sun King
Susie Wheeldon, Director of Knowledge and Insights, GOGLA
Emma Green, Consultant, Genesis Analytics
Akanksha Sharma, Head of ClimateTech and Digital Utilities, GSMA
Harry Gibson, Programme Officer, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)
Nchimunya Erlank-Hamukoma, Global Partnerships Lead, Powering Opportunity, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)
Additional participants to be confirmed