By Claudia Redwood-Sawyerr
The Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, during the Ministry of Information and Civi Education Press Conference on Tuesday, 7th October, 2025, outlined government’s ongoing financial commitments toward strengthening Sierra Leone’s energy infrastructure through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact and the Mission 300 initiative.
Speaking at the Miatta Conference Centre, Youyi Building in Freetown, Minister Bangura explained that the MCC Compact is focused on developing Sierra Leone’s foundational energy infrastructure by constructing transmission lines, distribution systems, and dispatch centers. “MCC is investing in building an ultramodern foundational transmission and distribution infrastructure,” he stated, adding that the program will design a national grid system that connects districts across the country. “The engineering design will create a loop around Sierra Leone, allowing every district to benefit from this infrastructure,” he said.
On the Mission 300 initiative, the Finance Minister explained that its primary goal is to expand renewable and sustainable energy generation through investments in hydro, solar, gas, and other power sources.
He emphasized that the Mission 300 Compact complements the MCC by increasing the country’s installed power generation capacity.
Minister Bangura furthered that Sierra Leone’s participation in the ECOWAS Regional Power Trade System through the West African Power Pool positions the country to benefit from regional energy trading. “Mission 300 is about making Sierra Leone a hub for scalable power generation that can be traded after meeting home-base demand,” he explained.
The Minister further disclosed that the Mission 300 project is designed to be bankable, with each component fully costed and supported by clear business plans that enable investors to recover their investments. He noted that government reforms have de-risked the energy sector and opened it up for private participation by breaking monopoly.
Minister Bangura concluded by reaffirming that funding for both compacts will come from the national budget, multilateral development partners, and private sector investments, ensuring sustainable progress in achieving Sierra Leone’s long-term energy goals.
