Sierra Leone receives $480 million from a US fund to increase access to power

The Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. governmental development agency, has awarded a $480 million five-year grant to Sierra Leone to deliver dependable and affordable power to 4.6 million individuals, according to the organization’s announcement.

Approximately 30% of the population in the West African nation has access to electricity, with the figure declining to under 5% in rural regions.

The agreement encompasses three initiatives aimed at enhancing the coverage and dependability of the power network while promoting the sector’s sustainability, as stated by the fund on Friday.

In April, the energy minister of Sierra Leone resigned due to a prolonged electrical problem associated with substantial unpaid debts to energy suppliers amounting to tens of millions of dollars.