“It is for home but we use it for work”: intra-urban comparison of infrastructure and home-based enterprises in Accra

Abstract

Urban infrastructure is crucial for livelihoods and economic growth, however, access remains fragmented. Such differential infrastructure provision within cities necessitates intra-urban comparison and a renewed commitment to re-thinking between and within neighborhoods in ways that do not universalize infrastructure geographies. This paper examines how electricity and water infrastructure affect home-based enterprises in four neighborhoods within one city. The study utilizes mixed methods and comparative analysis to reveal how residents in Accra experience varying degrees of electricity and water accessibility and how this affects their businesses. Each neighborhood has unique utility provisions and micro-economies, which have a tangible bearing on business viability. We argue that knowledge of the complex relationship between infrastructure and home-based enterprises is essential for understanding which processes, policies, and interventions best improve livelihoods and urban life in impoverished settings. We conclude that scholars and policymakers need to pay greater attention to how infrastructure is used productively in (re)producing urban economies and how this varies both between and within neighborhoods.