Natural resource rents and energy poverty nexus in next eleven economies

Energy poverty (EP) remains a persistent global challenge with important implications for economic development, public health, and social welfare. While natural resources, particularly oil and gas, are often viewed as key sources of energy access, their effectiveness in mitigating EP remains underexplored in emerging economies. This study examines the relationship between natural resource rents (NRR), specifically oil rents (OR) and natural gas rents (NGR), and energy poverty (EP) in the Next Eleven (N-11) countries from 2000 to 2020. The primary objective is to assess how NRR influences EP at various levels of poverty using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR). Our findings demonstrate that NRR significantly reduces EP, particularly in countries with higher baseline energy poverty, while the effect weakens at lower quantiles. This suggests that while resource wealth can alleviate energy poverty, it requires robust governance and sustainable management policies to be effective. The study contributes to the literature on resource wealth and energy poverty, providing insights relevant to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy). The findings also offer policy recommendations for enhancing energy access in resource-rich yet energy-poor nations. Specifically, policymakers should prioritize reinvesting natural resource rents into energy infrastructure, focusing on renewable energy development, rural electrification, and long-term economic diversification to ensure sustainable and inclusive energy access.