ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH DOMESTICATION OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN AFRICA

Access to reliable and adequate energy is a compulsory step to industrialization, improving the living standards of the people, enhancing safety and security, and preserving a healthy environment. Energy plays a fundamental role in shaping and reshaping of the human condition and is therefore essential for human survival and a major factor for economic growth. There is a strong correlation between socio-economic development and the availability of electricity. The third world countries are faced with chronic electricity problems, which are hindering economic developmental programmes, notwithstanding the availability of vast natural resources in these countries. This paper sees and discusses over dependence of foreign energy production technologies, expatriates for operation and maintenance of power facilities as major failure of energy infrastructural growth and consequent inhibitor of economic growth. It went further to suggest capacities building in the area of renewable energy especially design and fabrication of small hydro power (SHP) facilities (parts and systems) and their production technologies as a key for better energy delivery for third world countries in African economic growth.