Freetown, Sierra Leone – June 26, 2026 — The World Bank has approved a $60 million financing package for Sierra Leone as part of the first phase of the Regional Programme for Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Solutions (Regional DARES).
The initiative aims to significantly expand reliable electricity access, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The funding forms part of a broader $200 million package supporting Benin, the Central African Republic, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. It represents the initial stage of a larger $853 million regional effort to promote distributed renewable energy solutions.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the investment will support Sierra Leone’s National Energy Compact under Mission 300. It focuses on deploying solar home systems, mini-grids, and other off-grid renewable energy technologies where extending the national grid remains costly and challenging.
Currently, only 36 percent of Sierra Leoneans have access to electricity. Regional DARES seeks to address this gap by mobilizing an additional $54 million in private investment and connecting more than 1.2 million people and 24,000 businesses to reliable power. Homes, schools, health facilities, and local enterprises are expected to benefit directly.
Beyond immediate access improvements, the programme is designed to drive economic growth. It will enable farmers, small businesses, and cooperatives to increase productivity while generating new employment opportunities, especially for young people and women in the renewable energy value chain. The initiative also supports Sierra Leone’s transition toward cleaner, more climate-resilient energy sources.
Hon. Cyril Grant, Minister of Energy, welcomed the development, stating that Regional DARES builds on ongoing reforms and recent investments in the country’s energy sector. These include the Respite Project and broader efforts to strengthen the electricity sector and attract greater private sector participation.
On behalf of President Julius Maada Bio and the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Energy expressed gratitude to the World Bank Group and all partners.
A Ministry statement described the approval as “another important step towards achieving universal access to electricity in Sierra Leone,” highlighting distributed renewable energy as the fastest and most practical solution for rural communities.
The press release emphasized that the new resources will deliver tangible benefits to the people of Sierra Leone through improved household, educational, health, and business electricity services.
