Thabit Jacob

My research is broadly on political economy of development, with a focus on governance of extractive and energy resources. Current research explores renewed interest of the Tanzanian state in the extractive sector. I question the role and prospects of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the extractive sector focusing on political and institutional challenges affecting SOEs efficiency, governance and political challenges, management of resource revenues, distribution of rents and the struggles over access to land in resource extraction.

My overall research is positioned at the intersection of environment and development challenges with focus on, natural resource governance and the political economy of energy, natural resource extraction and climate change.

My current research broadly investigates coal and energy.  I am particularly interested in questions relating to governance and political challenges arising from recent coal boom In Tanzania with focus on the role of state-owned enterprises, state-business relations, management of resource revenues and distribution of rents. I’m also interested in struggles over access to land in resource extraction, and the socio-economic, political and environmental costs of the extractive sector. On energy, I’m interested in the politics of energy security, energy transition, and the overall issues around energy production, distribution and access.