Sierra Leone’s Energy Sector Lead, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, has delivered an optimistic and forward-looking address at the Powering Africa Summit (PAS25) in Washington DC, USA.
The summit, themed “The Future of the US & Africa Energy Partnership,” seeks to bolster regional cooperation and foster strategic alliances to address Africa’s growing energy demands.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Yumkella expressed excitement at the opportunity for Africa to showcase its readiness to partner with global stakeholders in driving the continent’s energy transformation.
“Africa needs all its energy resources to support industrialization and shift from commodity dependence to adding value to our resources,” Dr. Yumkella stated.
He emphasized that partnerships built on mutual respect, equity, and inclusivity were essential to spreading prosperity across the continent.
Highlighting President Julius Maada Bio’s energy sovereignty aspirations, Dr. Yumkella underscored his commitment to supporting the president’s vision.
He revealed that Sierra Leone’s energy transition plan aims to add 1GW of power over the next 6 to 10 years, driven by one of the continent’s best Independent Power Producer (IPP) policies.
“This ambition, coupled with massive investments from the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), is positioning Sierra Leone as a prime destination for energy partnerships,” he said.
Dr. Yumkella also announced plans to expand Sierra Leone’s transmission lines, particularly to connect the country’s mining operations. He further revealed that Sierra Leone is part of the next cohort of countries for Vision 300 and is developing a compact to accelerate energy access.
Recognizing the crucial link between energy and food security under the government’s Feed Salone agenda, Dr. Yumkella outlined plans to embed mini-grids in agricultural production areas.
“Our goal is to aggressively drive energy access to power industrialization. We are aiming to increase the national electrification rate from 36% to 80% within six years. It is an ambitious target, but we believe it is achievable,” he concluded.
As reforms continue in Sierra Leone’s energy sector, the government’s strategic vision is set to transform both energy access and the broader economic landscape.
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