Washington D.C., Friday, April 25, 2025 — Sierra Leone’s ambitious energy reform efforts took center stage at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., as the government unveiled the draft Mission 300 Energy Compact to key international development partners.
The high-level presentation was delivered by Energy Sector Lead, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, and Minister of Finance, Hon. Ahmed Sheku Fantamadi Bangura. The session engaged representatives from the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and other stakeholders in an in-depth dialogue on Sierra Leone’s energy transformation strategy.
“Mission 300 is an added resource – a way for both AfDB and WBG to bring in additional resources as they have all helped to lay the foundation for where we are in the sector. We are in a good place but anchored on very difficult economic and fiscal circumstances emanating from the sector, and the urgency now is for us to make an impact and change the story,” says Minister Bangura.
Structured around five strategic pillars, the Mission 300 Compact outlines a national roadmap to improve energy access, accelerate rural electrification, foster digital innovation, and attract private sector investment. The plan also underscores the central role of energy in driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
“Transforming energy systems require persistent and consistent reforms, prioritization of actions and finance and the political establishment must be bold enough to make hard decisions. The period we face teaches us that we can’t waste time. If you have to do something and recommendations have been given, we must just do it,” Says Yumkella.
The Compact, which is expected to be finalized in the coming months, represents a coordinated, multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at overcoming the country’s long-standing energy challenges and laying the foundation for a resilient energy future.
