In this episode of Afronomics, host Andrew Dabalen speaks with Dr. Ken Opalo, a leading scholar on African political economy and governance. Opalo, an associate professor at Georgetown University and author of Legislative Development in Africa. Dr. Opalo shares sharp insights on the rise of public protests, the limits of electoral democracy, and the urgent need for African governments to rebuild trust through better service delivery and inclusive growth. The conversation explores bold ideas for reform, including stronger political institutions, elite consensus, and homegrown development strategies. For more on the topic of service delivery in Africa, you can turn to our recent report: CPIA Africa: Better Policies for Service Delivery.

In this episode, Andrew Dabalen, the World Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa, engages in a riveting debate on the current strategy for electrification in Africa with Moussa P. Blimpo, Assistant Professor of Economic Inequality and Societies at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and co-author of the report “Electricity Access in Sub-Saharan Africa: Uptake, Reliability, and Complementary Factors for Economic Impact” in the Africa Development Forum series, a joint book series by the World Bank and Agence française de développement (AFD). So, which should come first: household electrification, including for hard-to-reach rural families, or electricity for businesses that create jobs? The answer may have far-reaching implications.

Report authors Estelle Koussoube, Senior Economist at the World Bank, and Kehinde Ajayi, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD), make the case for investing in adolescent girls’ economic success to transform Africa. The full report, published in 2024, can be accessed here: Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa.