By Sallieu S. Kanu
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Tuesday, January 28, 2025 – Sierra Leone has reached a significant milestone under President Julius Maada Bio’s dynamic leadership, securing a place in the second cohort of beneficiaries of the Mission 300 initiative. This announcement was made by State House Communications.
Mission 300, spearheaded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank Group (WBG), and global partners, aims to electrify 300 million people across Africa by 2030.
During the inaugural Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, President Bio joined heads of state, global leaders, private sector representatives, and development partners to discuss Africa’s path toward universal access to energy. The Summit secured USD 48 billion from the AfDB and the World Bank, plus an additional USD 5 billion in new funding pledges, bringing the total funding for Mission 300 to over $50 billion over six years.
As a member of the second cohort of Mission 300 countries, Sierra Leone has officially endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Compact Declaration, reaffirming its commitment to define country-specific targets and timelines. This commitment aligns with Sierra Leone’s National Development Plan and the global ambition to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 – ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all.
In the first cohort, 12 countries presented their National Energy Compacts, including Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. The Government noted that Raj Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, has pledged to assist Sierra Leone in developing its National Energy Compact.
Sierra Leone’s qualification was based on the country’s remarkable progress in transforming the energy sector under President Bio’s leadership. This progress is underpinned by Sierra Leone’s Just Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan, the Government’s ambitious target to deploy 200 mini-grids as part of the Rural Electrification Drive, and comprehensive energy sector reforms.
Sierra Leone stands ready to harness the opportunities presented by Mission 300 to deliver transformative energy solutions for its citizens and contribute to Africa’s prosperity.