Ensuring Electricity Reliability and Consumer Protection in Cameroon: A Corporate Law and Regulatory Governance Perspective

Abstract

This article examines the critical challenges facing Cameroon’s electricity sector, with a particular focus on power reliability and consumer protection from a corporate law and regulatory governance perspective. Cameroon’s electricity infrastructure is characterized by frequent power outages, limited generation capacity, and aging facilities, which undermine the sector’s ability to meet national energy demands effectively. These structural deficiencies are further compounded by weaknesses in corporate governance, regulatory oversight, and accountability mechanisms within electricity service providers. Through an analysis of the existing legal and regulatory framework governing the electricity sector, including the roles of key institutions such as the Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency (ARSEL), state-owned entities, and private operators, this study identifies governance gaps that contribute to service unreliability and inadequate consumer protection. It argues that the absence of enforceable consumer rights standards and weak corporate accountability leave electricity consumers with limited remedies in cases of prolonged outages, service fluctuations, and unfair billing practices. In this light, adopting an in-depth content analysis based on primary and secondary sources of data collection is imperative to achieve our goal. The article proposes legal and policy reforms grounded in corporate law principles, including enhanced regulatory oversight, increased investment through public-private partnerships, diversification of energy sources with an emphasis on renewables, and the adoption of a comprehensive Consumer Rights Charter for the electricity sector. This will go a long way to contribute to the development of a more reliable, accountable, and consumer-oriented electricity sector capable of supporting sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life in Cameroon.