Freetown, Sierra Leone—On Monday, April 14, 2025, Energy Sector Lead Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, alongside Deputy Ministers of Energy I and II, Ing. Edmond Nonie and Dr. Rahim Jalloh appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Energy at Tower Hill to discuss the state of the energy sector. The meeting, chaired by Hon. Kekura Vandi, marked the first convening of the Sixth Parliament’s Committee on Energy.
Hon. Vandi emphasized the critical role of electricity in national development and reiterated President Julius Maada Bio’s commitment to improving the energy sector despite economic challenges. He described the meeting as an opportunity for frank discussions and impactful recommendations between committee members and energy stakeholders, including the directors-general of EDSA, EGTC, and EWRC.
Dr. Yumkella provided an update on the sector, acknowledging significant progress while highlighting ongoing challenges. He assured the committee that efforts were underway to lay a solid foundation for energy security in Sierra Leone. “The energy sector is complex, from generation to transmission to distribution. We aim to transition from high-cost power to low-cost power and diversify our generation capacity and sources over the next decade,” he stated.
Dr. Yumkella outlined plans to increase energy access from the current 36% to 80% by 2030, focusing on mini grids, clean cooking gas, and making EDSA financially viable. He expressed optimism about achieving the President’s vision of energy sovereignty.
Deputy Minister Ing. Edmond Nonie elaborated on five thematic areas, including current electricity supply, plans to connect mines to the grid, transformative projects, Mission 300, and the Karpowership initiative. He assured the committee that isolated outages were being addressed and highlighted various energy projects aimed at improving access to reliable and affordable electricity. He also discussed plans to establish the Rural Electrification Agency and expand mini grids across the country.
The meeting underscored the inextricable link between the energy sector and the Feed Salone agenda, with reforms continuing to drive progress.
By Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy