Improving Rural Electrification Access in Cameroon: A Qualitative Study

Cameroon's Vision 2035 aims to become an emergent economy, and energy is a crucial resource for achieving this goal. However, only 20% of the rural population has access to electricity, which limits their economic opportunities. This study investigates the reasons for the slow progress of rural electrification in Cameroon since the establishment of the Rural Electrification Agency in 1998. The study also aims to identify the challenges and propose a model for rural electrification. The study uses the stakeholder theory as a framework and adopts a survey research design with a qualitative approach. Data is collected from primary and secondary sources, using semi-structured interviews and personnel as data collection instruments. The study samples 10 key institutions and selects 7 respondents for data analysis, which is done through in-depth content analysis. The study finds that corruption and poor coordination of the rural electrification sector are the main barriers to rural electrification in Cameroon. The study recommends a bottom-up policy-making process for rural electrification and suggests a model for implementation.