Assessing energy security in Africa based on multi-dimensional approach of principal composite analysis

Abstract

The concept of energy security has become an increasingly challenging issue in Africa, forcing energy-deficient countries to forge mutual partnerships with energy sufficient countries to access it for their domestic consumption. This study formulates a composite index of energy security in Africa as well as evaluates its impacts and trends using a sample of 28 countries on the continent, during the 2000–2018 period by using a principal composite factor analysis (PCA), with the series of 13 variables. Further interpretation was carried out using these tests: Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Pearson correlation test, and Cronbach’s alpha test. The key results show a trend of energy insecurity among the countries studied, as energy imports loads high in most countries as well as per capita emission, together with fossil fuel source consumption correlating high. These results validate the stark reality on the African continent. The inference from the results of the anaylsis conclude that the principal component analysis (PCA) results of the energy index were considered fit and reliable for the analysis, with the most important Cronbach’s alpha test coefficient of 0.8797, far above the standard 0.6 model reliability level. Based on this study, the paper proffers there should be increased intra-regional trading of energy among the various power pools on the continent and increased regional renewable energy investments as well as investment in energy infrastructure, measures to reduce electricity system losses, environmental sustainability, and the adoption of energy in efficiency on the continent. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.