Hydropower Development in West Africa

Hydropower offers the best prospect for a low-cost domestic energy for the countries of West Africa that have patterned their development on commercial fuel-based industrialization. Despite the availability of resources and the advantages of hydroelectricity, only limited development of this vital energy resource has taken place.

This book begins with an overview of geographical and economic background of West Africa in an analysis of the broad economic hydropower resources and their development. Some of the important existing and planned hydropower projects in individual countries are examined. The last section of the book discusses some of the constraints in hydropower development in the region.