Access to modern energy and poverty in regions of Burkina Faso: Evidence from a panel data analysis

Improving access to modern energy could be an important part of reducing poverty in developing countries. However, the studies of poverty in Burkina Faso have so far neglected this aspect. This article therefore analyzes the effect of access to modern energy on poverty in the 13 regions of Burkina Faso over the period 2003-2018. The results of the Driscoll-Kraay estimation method reveal that access to electricity and access to clean cooking fuels tend to reduce the incidence of poverty. This result suggests the need to strengthen electrification policies and to popularize and promote the use of clean fuels and technologies for cooking in the different regions of Burkina Faso in order to effectively combat poverty.