Differential Impacts of Water Privatization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Countries in Africa have historically struggled with access to safe water. Over the past three decades, the World Bank has promoted the privatization of water systems through contracts with foreign companies as the solution to the water crisis. However, only a handful of privatization efforts in Africa have succeeded, with most governments taking back control of their water supplies after only a few years. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that expanded water access resulting from privatization only occurs in wealthier communities, however this has not yet been confirmed. This thesis examines the relationship between functional water access points in Tanzania, Ghana, Mozambique, and Nigeria and the income levels of the neighborhoods in which they are located, analyzing how this relationship changes before and after privatization. This quantitative approach was accompanied by a qualitative analysis of the political, economic, and geographical features of each country. When combined, these two complementary avenues of analysis demonstrate that privatization did not significantly increase water access but there was insufficient evidence to make definitive conclusions about privatization's effect on inequalities. This thesis argues that certain models of privatization should not be promoted as primary solutions to water access because they do not appear to increase water access. Furthermore, it demonstrates the inefficacy of a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to expanding water access and indicates the need for solutions that are adapted to local situations.