George Mumbo

Privatization Policy Choice: the Effects on Private Sector Participation in Primary Infrastructure Investment in Sub-saharan Africa George Mumbo

In the past, some insightful appraisal of public policy in line with the primary infrastructure sectors globally, has agitated the quest for desired reform and expectations in Africa as a continent. In conformity, great inroads have been made in the telecommunication sector, which raises the issue of a gap between the suitability of prescribed policy and the country?s specific institutional frameworks. Africa?s diverse experience and the exceptional socioeconomic circumstance is such that policy preconditions that are imperative for successful liberalization and privatization are hardly met. Therefore, this study evaluates privatization policy choice by appraising the private sector investment participation in infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa in view of the fact that there is reliable knowledge around the world from which lessons can be drawn from. Infrastructure privatization is essentially a basic means to an end, and not ideally an end in itself, given its main objective is to perpetuate an efficient sector that delivers quality service. These can be achieved in the background of a suitable market mechanism that is well structured with a properly defined regulatory system.