Sierra Leone Launches €34M Solar Mini-Grid Project to Power Rural Transformation

Sierra Leone Launches €34M Solar Mini-Grid Project to Power Rural Transformation

By Musa Kamara 

June 6, 2025 — In a bold step towards achieving universal energy access, President Julius Maada Bio has officially launched the €34 million Salone Off-Grid Renewable Energy Acceleration (SOGREA) Initiative, a transformative solar mini-grid project aimed at lighting up rural Sierra Leone.

Funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the initiative is set to electrify 60 rural communities, bringing sustainable power to over 25,000 households and nearly 3,000 businesses by 2027.

With energy access in rural areas at just 6%, the project marks a pivotal stride in Sierra Leone’s national development plan and its goal to increase renewable energy’s share in the power mix to 35% by 2030.

President Bio used the occasion not only to reaffirm his government’s commitment to ending energy poverty but also to publicly acknowledge the critical leadership that helped bring the project to life.

“This is not just about power, it is about empowerment,” President Bio said. “I want to especially thank Dr. Kandeh Yumkella for his steadfast leadership and vision. As the Energy Sector Lead and Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, his role in mobilizing support and securing this project has been instrumental.”

Dr. Yumkella, a globally respected energy expert, has been at the forefront of Sierra Leone’s push for green energy transformation. As Chairman of the Energy Governance Coordination Group, he has worked to align national policy with international support to attract clean energy investment.

The SOGREA initiative introduces a milestone-based capital expenditure reimbursement model to incentivize private sector participation, ensuring long-term financial sustainability. It will also pilot circular economy solutions for managing solar waste—making it a comprehensive approach to clean energy development.

“This EU funding is a game-changer for rural development,” said Dr. Yumkella. “It brings hope, opportunity, and dignity to communities that have long lived in the dark.”

As Sierra Leone pushes forward with its Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan, the launch of SOGREA signals not just progress but the dawn of a truly inclusive energy future.