Filling the Power Supply Gap in Africa: Is Natural Gas the Answer?

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the advantages of natural gas as a potential solution to Africa’s power challenges. Design/Methodology: This paper develops from a descriptive analysis and literature on natural gas and powerFindings: The key finding is that despite increased discovery of natural gas in Africa, it has had minimal impact on power production. Limitations: This study provides a descriptive overview and is limited to only natural gas. It does not consider how other energy sources can contribute to solving Africa’s power challengesPolicy implications: This paper will draw the attention of both policy makers and the investment community to the opportunities in the ‘natural gas- power’ value chain and the need to invest in gas infrastructure.