Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, has revealed key details of Sierra Leone’s participation in the Mission 300 Compact, a major continental energy access program targeting 300 million Africans by 2030.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press briefing, Dr. Yumkella said Sierra Leone was initially excluded from the Compact but was later included after Sierra Leonean energy experts developed and presented a compelling national proposal. The plan was endorsed by the World Bank and African Development Bank in New York in September 2025.
He explained that Sierra Leone’s $2.2 billion compact is based on five strategic pillars: expanding power generation, promoting regional integration, supporting decentralized renewable energy, encouraging private-sector investment, and improving the financial stability of public utilities.
Under the compact, Sierra Leone aims to increase electricity access from 36% to 78%, boost renewable energy use from 46% to 52%, and raise generation capacity from 271 megawatts to 1.12 gigawatts by 2030. Clean cooking access is also set to increase from 1.5% to 25%, and private sector investment is expected to more than double.
Finance Minister Sheku Fantamadi Bangura also addressed the press, clarifying the difference between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact and the Mission 300 Compact. He said while the MCC focuses on core infrastructure like transmission lines and dispatch centers, the Mission 300 Compact prioritizes energy generation, including solar, hydro, and gas power.
Minister Bangura emphasized that the $2.2 billion compact is fully costed and supported by a bankable business plan designed to attract serious investment. He said government reforms have de-risked the energy sector, broken monopolies, and created space for private participation. Funding will come from a mix of government budgets, private investment, and support from development partners.
Both officials reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to energy as a driver of national development, with Dr. Yumkella noting that reliable electricity is key to lifting millions out of poverty and unlocking economic opportunities across the country.
