Breakout A — Utility Viability, Regulation, and Power Sector Governance

A focused discussion on the links between utility financial viability, regulatory credibility, and power sector governance, drawing on African reform experiences to identify practical lessons for cost recovery, regulatory independence, consumer protection, and turnaround management, and to distil context-specific standards and benchmarking tools adaptable across African power sectors.

Facilitated by Mrs. Blandine Biaou Oyede (SNH-Benin), with Dr. Abdulkadir Shettima (ASR), Mr. Abile Romain Houehou (LDCB), Mrs. Cany Jobe (GNPC), Mrs. Rita Madeira (IEA) and Mr. James Masumba Manda (African Forum for Utility Regulation).

Objective: interrogate the link between governance and utility financial viability, drawing on regulators and utilities with documented progress, and translate lessons into practical standards institutions can adapt. Expected outcomes: a shared regulatory benchmarking checklist; three country cases identified for peer learning on utility turnarounds; practical standards for cost recovery and regulatory independence distilled for continental use.