Sierra Leone has been selected to join the second cohort of beneficiaries under the Mission 300 initiative, a program led by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank Group (WBG), and global partners, aiming to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
At the inaugural Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, President Julius Maada Bio joined other leaders to discuss Africa’s path toward universal energy access. The summit secured $48 billion from the AfDB and the World Bank, with an additional $5 billion in new funding pledges, bringing the total for Mission 300 to over $50 billion over six years.
As part of the second cohort, Sierra Leone has endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Compact Declaration, committing to set country-specific targets and timelines. This aligns with the nation’s National Development Plan and the global goal of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, which focuses on ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all.
In the first cohort, 12 countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Tanzania, presented their National Energy Compacts. Raj Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, has pledged to assist Sierra Leone in developing its National Energy Compact.
Sierra Leone’s inclusion in Mission 300 is attributed to its progress in transforming the energy sector under President Bio’s leadership. This includes the Just Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan, the ambitious target to deploy 200 mini-grids as part of the Rural Electrification Drive, and comprehensive energy sector reforms.
President Bio stated, “Sierra Leone stands ready to harness the opportunities presented by Mission 300 to deliver transformative energy solutions for our citizens and contribute to Africa’s prosperity.”
The Mission 300 initiative aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, addressing the continent’s high number of people without access to power and spurring development by creating new jobs. The World Bank plans to invest $30-40 billion, while the AfDB will contribute $10-15 billion, with the remainder sourced from private investors.
Half of the new connections will come from existing grids, and the other half from renewable sources like wind and solar mini-grids. This approach aims to expand and rehabilitate electricity grids at minimal cost, integrating renewable energy and increasing national electricity connection targets.
Sierra Leone’s participation in Mission 300 reflects its commitment to sustainable development and improving the quality of life for its citizens through enhanced energy access.
