Are Quality and Production Costs a Problem?

Abstract

This chapter gives a rough sense of the level of the quality of infra-structure services in Africa. An assessment of quality is indeed an essential complement to the discussion of access provided previously. Access to water or electricity 4 hours a day is very different from access 24 hours a day both for households and for the investment climate that affects firms’ decisions. Access to well-maintained roads implies very different transport costs than having to rely on poorly maintained roads. Quality should thus be part of any assessment of the state of infrastructure in Africa. The chapter also looks at the available evidence of the cost efficiency with which services are delivered. If financing needs are to be minimized and tariffs aligned with the ability to pay, cost minimization should be a top concern for policymakers.