By Kemo Cham
The small town of Borup in the Port Loko district has become the first in Sierra Leone to be electrified with clean energy.
The mini grid which was installed with the support of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) was inaugurated on June 7th. It was implemented under SEforALL’s Results-Based Financing (RBF) multi-donor fund, the Universal Energy Facility (UEF).
The project entails a 27 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) and 85kWh battery mini-grid that took seven months of intensive work to complete by UEF grantee Energicity (SL) Limited (Power Leone), according to a press statement announcing the official inauguration.
The facility is designed to provide 150 electricity connections directly benefiting 1,300 people, powering households, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and public institutions, the statement adds.
“This is a big achievement not only for the Universal Energy Facility and Energicity (Power Leone), but for Sierra Leone as well,” Anita Otubu, Senior Director of the UEF, is quoted in the statement issued by SEforAll.
“It would not be possible without the support of the Government of Sierra Leone and our partners,” she added.
According to Otubu, UEF is proving that it is a flexible mechanism able to rapidly adapt to challenges posed in each market, such as macroeconomic disruptions, noting that this is the first of many more mini-grids they are constructing at record speed.
The mini-grid was officially commissioned at an event attended by top government officials, including representatives from the Electricity & Water Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Energy, as well as the Resident Minister North West, Umaru Bon Wuri.
Also in attendance were local authorities, including traditional leaders.
Sierra Leone faces a major hurdle in electricity access, with only 36% of the population connected nationwide, dropping even lower to 5% in rural areas, according to data shared by SEforAll.
Recognizing this critical gap, the Government has set a bold target: achieving nearly 92% universal electrification by 2030. To bridge this divide quickly, they are working on implementing electrified mini-grid systems, a potentially transformative solution for rural communities.
SEforALL considers itself a major partner towards achieving this goal, according to Ngozi Beckley-Lines, its Country Manager. She was quoted in the press statement expressing their commitment to ensuring universal access to sustainable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy in the country.
“Our initiatives are geared towards achieving these goals in Sierra Leone through a range of targeted programmes and partnerships focused mainly on rural and underserved communities,” she said, adding: “We are committed to fostering sustainable development and ensuring access to modern, reliable, affordable energy. We will leave no one behind.”
Since the launch of the UEF mini-grid programme in Sierra Leone, the Facility has approved funding for the construction of 7 mini-grids, which are expected to generate nearly 1,200 connections and transform the lives of over 10,000 people in households, businesses, religious and academic institutions, clinics, entertainment centres, etc. This is a major boost for the socio-economic and human development of the beneficiary communities.
Nicole Poindexter, CEO and Founder of Energicity, remarked that for them this is more than just delivering solar power. “It’s about empowering entire communities,” she said.
“With our community-scale mini-grid solution, residents now have access to the electricity they need to run businesses, improve their lives, and reach their full potential.”
She also hailed the role of government and other partners in ensuring the implementation of the project.
“This project would not have been possible without the unwavering commitment of our partners, including the Government of Sierra Leone and SEforALL/UEF. Together, we are making a real difference. Access to clean, reliable energy unlocks economic opportunities, fosters sustainable development, and shapes a brighter future for Sierra Leone,” she said.
Two of the remaining six mini-grids are being constructed in Kalangba in Bombali District and Kasiri in Kambia District. These are expected to be completed later this year.
The towns of Pepel (Port Loko), Njala Mosongo (Moyamba), Njala Mokonde (Moyamba) and Mokanji (Moyamba) are expected to be connected later.
Additionally, the UEF issued conditional letters of support for constructing 10 more mini-grids, which could bring clean energy to over 20,000 people. The entire portfolio of 17 mini-grids is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
The UEF, which is managed by SEforALL, was established to significantly speed up and scale up energy access across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, in line with SDG7 and the Paris Agreement. It provides incentive payments to eligible organisations deploying energy solutions and providing verified end-user electricity connections (including mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems) and clean cooking solutions based on pre-determined standards.
The Facility is supported by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Shell Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Bezos Earth Fund, Africa Mini-grid Developers Association, Power Africa, Good Energies, UKaid, Carbon Trust, IKEA Foundation, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (BMZ) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
