The World Bank and Electricity Access - At A Glance

Purpose and Methodology

Assess the World Bank Group's support to client countries moving toward universal energy access goals.

Comprehensive project portfolio review with key performance indicator analysis based on Results Framework
Sector analysis: Cross-country sector indicators, technology trends, sources of finance
Field-based assessments: selected projects, country case studies
Structured interviews: Government, World Bank Group, implementing agency, beneficiaries, other lenders
Literature review: World Bank Group and other sources

Salient Findings

Achievements

The World Bank Group performed well in providing physical infrastructure, supporting institutional frameworks and building capacity. The World Bank Group was also successful at the analytical base for policymaking, and for better project design.

Challenges

Lack of depth and continuity in programs in low-access countries
Not geared to support quantum increase in scale and speed of access growth

Conclusions and Recommendations

The World Bank Group should:

Reposition itself as a global solutions provider in the sector going well beyond its own direct support for access.
Move from a predominantly project-by-project approach–to a far greater use of a sector-wide framework and process.
Engage decisively and intensely on low-access countries (mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa) as opportunity costs of delaying access are high; denying access to a whole generation.
Improve the evidence-base related to electricity access and align with shared prosperity and ending extreme poverty goals.
Frame the "grid vs. off-grid" tradeoff in terms of complementarity and coordination geared towards universal access without creating an artificial dichotomy.
Retain focus on underlying structural causes of sector financial viability, inclusing and use policy lending and investment lending in a complementary fashion.