AGP Executive Report

Electricity Access Gap: New data says nearly 6 million people in Sierra Leone lacked electricity access in 2025, underlining how energy poverty still blocks schools, clinics, and rural livelihoods. Digital Public Infrastructure: Sierra Leone’s MoCTI wrapped up a National DPI dialogue on building digital trust and transaction systems, while the NCRA urged an “identity-first” approach anchored in legal identity, payments, and secure data exchange. Flood Risk in Freetown: Heavy rains left deaths, missing children, and widespread house destruction, with NPAA assessing flood-affected communities and water catchment areas. Protected Areas Enforcement: NPAA began Phase Two of GIS mapping to identify and verify encroachment structures inside protected areas, guiding planned demolition and conservation action. Youth & Skills for a Greener Future: A Kenema digital literacy programme graduated 80 youth after internships, feeding into a growing push for employability and tech capacity. Child Health Partnership: UNICEF and the U.S. Embassy reaffirmed support for child survival, immunisation, and primary healthcare. Governance & Democracy: President Bio urged Parliament to vote for constitutional amendments, including proportional representation and a women’s quota, as debate continues over the presidential threshold.

Digital Skills for Jobs: Eighty Sierra Leonean youth (35 women, 45 men) graduated in Kenema after nine months of ITC-supported training and workplace internships under YAD’s Ready Salone–Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) Fund, aiming to close the gap between classroom learning and employer needs. Electricity Access Gap: New data says nearly 6 million people in Sierra Leone lacked electricity access in 2025, underscoring how energy shortages keep rural communities behind. Digital Public Infrastructure: The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation wrapped up a National Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Dialogue, while the NCRA urged Sierra Leone to anchor DPI on trusted legal identity systems, secure payments, and safe data exchange. Food Security Push: President Bio says Feed Salone is boosting rice output and cutting import bills, linking food security to jobs and household purchasing power. Protected Areas Enforcement: NPAA began Phase Two GIS mapping to identify and verify encroachment in protected areas, supporting planned enforcement actions. Flood Risk Reminder: Heavy rains and flooding in Freetown left deaths, missing children, and widespread house destruction, renewing calls for stronger disaster preparedness.

Digital Trust & Identity: Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation wrapped up a two-day National Digital Public Infrastructure dialogue, with leaders stressing that secure digital identity, payments, and data exchange must work together for citizen-first services. Electricity Access Gap: New data says 5,981,016 people in Sierra Leone lacked electricity access in 2025, underlining how energy shortages still shape daily life and development. Food Security Push: President Bio says Feed Salone is boosting rice output and cutting import bills, aiming to lower food prices and strengthen household purchasing power. Anti-Drug Transit Warning: Bio warned international drug cartels that Sierra Leone’s waters, ports, and airports will not be used for narcotics transit, promising stronger coastal surveillance. Flood Risk in Freetown: Heavy rains have left deaths, missing children, and widespread house destruction, with NPAA and disaster authorities assessing affected communities and water catchment areas. Coastal Protection Alarm: NPAA’s director warned that sand and mangrove removal is weakening natural sea defenses, urging action over the safety of Aberdeen Bridge. Protected Areas Enforcement: NPAA began Phase Two GIS mapping to verify structures inside protected areas and demolition zones, guiding planned enforcement. Health & Learning Support: WFP launched the 2026/27 home-grown school feeding year after buying over one million kilograms of rice and pulses from local farmers. TVET Reform Warning: Civil society cautioned that technical education reforms could repeat past failures without steady funding, qualified tutors, and real job pathways.

Flood Risk in Freetown: Heavy rains have triggered flash flooding, erosion and slope incidents, with reports of deaths, missing children and hundreds of displaced people after a wall collapse at Metchem and widespread flooding in nearby Juba—raising renewed calls for stronger settlement controls and climate resilience planning. Coastal Protection Alarm: Sierra Leone’s National Protected Areas Authority warns that Aberdeen Bridge is no longer safe, linking coastal sand and mangrove removal to weaker natural barriers against sea-level rise and flooding. Protected Areas Enforcement Prep: NPAA has started Phase Two of GIS mapping to identify and verify structures inside protected areas and demolition zones, using GPS surveys and satellite imagery to guide enforcement. Food Systems for Resilience: WFP launched the 2026/27 home-grown school feeding year, buying over one million kilograms of rice and pulses from Sierra Leonean smallholders to support child nutrition and local markets. Digital Identity for Service Delivery: NCRA urged Sierra Leone to anchor Digital Public Infrastructure on trusted legal identity systems to avoid duplication, stressing identity, payments and secure data exchange as an integrated foundation. TVET Reform Warning: Civil society cautioned that technical education reforms could repeat past failures unless sustained funding, qualified tutors and resources back the changes.

Coastal Safety Warning: NPAA’s Sheikh Ahmed Tunis says Aberdeen Bridge is “no longer safe,” linking the risk to ongoing sand removal and mangrove destruction that weaken natural coastal barriers against sea-level rise and flooding. Flood Disaster Update: NDMA reports severe flooding in Freetown after heavy rains, including deaths, missing children, destroyed houses, and contaminated drinking-water sources—renewing calls for stronger settlement controls and climate-resilient planning. Protected Areas Enforcement: NPAA begins Phase Two of GIS mapping to identify and verify structures inside protected areas and demolition zones, using GPS surveys and satellite imagery to guide enforcement. Food Systems & Nutrition: WFP launches the 2026/27 home-grown school feeding year after buying over one million kilograms of rice and pulses from Sierra Leonean farmers, injecting more than US$900,000 into local markets. Public Health & Accountability: Sierra Leone’s NRA and UNDP reaffirm partnership to boost domestic revenue and modernize procurement and asset management systems. Skills & TVET Reform Risks: Civil society warns TVET reforms could repeat past failures unless sustained funding, qualified tutors, and resources back the changes. Digital Governance: NPPA and Liberia’s PPCC exchange lessons on electronic government procurement as Sierra Leone continues rolling out its e-GP system.

Floods & Coastal Risk: NDMA confirms severe flooding in Freetown after hours of heavy rain, with at least three deaths, two children missing, hundreds displaced, and contaminated boreholes—while NPAA warns coastal sand and mangrove removal is weakening natural defenses, calling Aberdeen Bridge unsafe and urging action as a national security concern. Protected Areas Enforcement: NPAA begins Phase Two GIS mapping to identify and verify structures inside protected areas from Tacugama to Brandon-Height, using GPS surveys and satellite imagery to guide planned demolitions and conservation decisions. Cleaner Transport Standards: NPRA, UNEP and ECOWAS push Sierra Leone toward ECOWAS cleaner fuel and vehicle standards, aiming to cut emissions and improve fuel quality and regulation. Food Systems for Resilience: WFP launches the 2026/27 home-grown school feeding year after buying over one million kilograms of rice and pulses from Sierra Leonean farmers, boosting rural incomes and school nutrition. Illegal Fishing Pressure: Sierra Leonean fishermen report foreign trawlers violating the seven-mile exclusion zone at night, cutting catches and damaging nets, threatening livelihoods and marine biodiversity. Digital ID & Governance: UNDP moves blockchain from pilots toward production digital public infrastructure, focusing on governance, interoperability and trust—while Sierra Leone advances national digital ID planning through public-private dialogue.

Coastal Protection Warning: NPAA Executive Director Sheikh Ahmed Tunis says Aberdeen Bridge is “no longer safe” as sand and mangroves are being removed along Sierra Leone’s coast, weakening natural barriers against sea-level rise and flooding. Floods in Freetown: NDMA confirms severe flooding after hours of heavy rain, with at least three deaths, two children missing, hundreds displaced, and contaminated boreholes in affected communities. Food Security for Kids: WFP launches the 2026/27 home-grown school feeding year after buying over one million kilograms of rice and pulses from Sierra Leonean smallholders, injecting more than US$900,000 into local farmers’ incomes. Cleaner Transport Push: NPRA, UNEP and ECOWAS partners conclude a national workshop to strengthen cleaner fuels and vehicle standards, aiming to cut emissions and improve air quality. Fisheries Under Threat: Sierra Leonean fishermen accuse foreign industrial trawlers of illegal night fishing inside the seven-mile exclusion zone, damaging nets and cutting catches by about 40%. Energy Access Milestone: Sungrow commissions the RESPITE solar-plus-storage project (35 MWh), described as Sierra Leone’s first major national-scale grid-connected power project in nearly a decade. Digital Identity Dialogue: Sierra Leone opens a public-private dialogue to guide its national digital ID platform and digital public infrastructure rollout. TVET Reform Caution: Civil society warns TVET reforms could repeat past failures unless funding, qualified tutors, and resources are sustained.

Flood Disaster in Freetown: Severe flooding and erosion hit Freetown after hours of heavy rain, killing three people (including a five-year-old girl, her mother and grandmother) and leaving two children missing; NDMA also reports over 300 homes flooded in Portor/Juba, contaminated boreholes, and widespread damage—renewing calls for stronger settlement controls and climate-resilient planning. Protected Areas & Water Catchments: The National Protected Area Authority inspected flood-prone communities and key water catchment areas across Freetown to assess environmental risks and guide interventions to protect lives, property and ecosystems. Plastic Pollution at Aberdeen Creek: A spotlight on Aberdeen Creek’s worsening waste problem links daily dumping into gutters and streams to coastal pollution, while also flagging sanitation gaps and mangrove loss that increase disease risk and weaken natural coastal protection. Cleaner Transport Standards: Sierra Leone moved to adopt ECOWAS cleaner fuel and vehicle emissions standards after a national workshop led by NPRA with UNEP and the ECOWAS Commission, focusing on fuel quality, vehicle emissions, and stronger regulation. Energy Access Boost: Sungrow commissioned the World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh battery capacity to support a grid that often suffers long outages. Illegal Fishing Pressure: Sierra Leonean fishermen accuse foreign industrial trawlers of violating the seven-mile exclusion zone, cutting catches and damaging nets—threatening livelihoods and marine biodiversity. Digital ID Dialogue: Sierra Leone launched a public-private dialogue to guide its national digital ID platform and verifiable credentials rollout.

Floods & Water Safety: Sierra Leone’s NDMA confirmed deaths, missing children, and widespread damage after heavy rains hit Freetown on 3 August, with flash flooding, erosion, and contaminated boreholes leaving residents without safe drinking water. Plastic Pollution & Wetland Loss: A spotlight on Aberdeen Creek shows plastic and other waste piling up along the shoreline, while mangroves face clearing for illegal land reclamation—worsening sanitation and waterborne disease risks. Cleaner Transport Standards: NPRA wrapped up a national workshop in Freetown with UNEP and ECOWAS support, pushing commitments to strengthen fuel quality rules and cut vehicle emissions to protect public health and the environment. Protected Areas Response: NPAA inspected flood-prone communities and key water catchments across Freetown to assess environmental damage and guide interventions to protect lives, property, and natural ecosystems. Digital ID for Citizens: Sierra Leone launched a public-private dialogue to guide its national digital ID platform, aiming for verifiable credentials and citizen-controlled identity systems. Energy Access Boost: Sungrow commissioned the World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh battery capacity to support more reliable grid power. Illegal Fishing Pressure: Fishermen in Sierra Leone protested illegal foreign trawling that they say cuts catches and damages nets, threatening livelihoods and marine biodiversity.

Disaster Response: Heavy rains battered Freetown on 3 August, triggering flash flooding, erosion and slope collapses. NDMA reports at least three deaths, two children missing, over 300 houses flooded in Portor (Juba), and contaminated boreholes—while a wall collapse in Metchem killed a five-year-old girl, her mother and grandmother. Water Safety & Prevention: Sierra Leone marked World Drowning Prevention Day with a push for stronger water safety education and community action, as drowning deaths remain a growing concern. Mapping for Resilience: Sierra Leone, with Japan’s Aero Toyota and JICA support, is developing a high-resolution national base map using OpenStreetMap tech, starting with the Western Area Urban District to improve land management and disaster risk response. Protected Areas & Climate Risk: NPAA inspected flood-prone communities and key water catchments across Freetown to guide interventions and better protect ecosystems after the extreme weather. Biodiversity & Oceans Funding: A regional push in the Gulf of Guinea calls for countries to share fisheries and marine biodiversity data to unlock international conservation funding. Energy Access: Sungrow commissioned the World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh battery capacity to support more reliable grid power.

Flood Disaster in Freetown: NDMA confirms heavy rains triggered flash flooding, erosion and slope collapses across Freetown, with over 300 houses flooded in Portor, two children missing, and eight community boreholes contaminated; in Metchem, a wall collapse killed three people. Water Safety & Drowning Prevention: Sierra Leone marks World Drowning Prevention Day with a national push—volunteers and health workers at Lumley Beach promote water safety skills and stronger coordination to cut preventable drowning deaths. Protected Areas Response: NPAA inspected flood-prone communities and key water catchments (including Aberdeen Creek and Juba-Lumley areas) to map environmental risks and guide interventions after extreme rainfall. Plastic Pollution at Aberdeen Creek: A spotlight on Aberdeen Creek’s shoreline waste—plastic and other trash washed in by rains—links pollution to sanitation gaps and mangrove loss, raising waterborne disease risks. Solar-Storage Power Boost: Sungrow commissioned a World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh battery capacity to help reduce long outages on Sierra Leone’s strained grid. Marine Conservation Data Push: A Gulf of Guinea workshop urges countries, including Sierra Leone, to share fisheries and marine biodiversity data to unlock international funding for ocean protection. Cashew Value-Chain Training: Sierra Leone joins regional efforts training cashew actors in production, processing and value addition to improve livelihoods and reduce reliance on raw exports. Climate-Resilient Land Use: SLURC engages communities on climate-resilient land use reforms in Freetown to better manage local climate risks. Energy Access Outlook: A broader Africa energy access piece highlights the push to connect millions to electricity through a mix of renewables and reliable power. ELEKTROS Lithium/EV Tech Watch: ELEKTROS reiterates interest in Sierra Leone hard-rock lithium and EV charging technology as investor attention grows around critical minerals and electrification.

Flood Disaster in Freetown: NDMA confirms three deaths, two missing and over 300 houses destroyed after severe flash flooding and erosion hit parts of the city, with contaminated boreholes raising immediate water-safety worries. Solar-Storage Boost for Sierra Leone’s Grid: Sungrow has commissioned a World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh via eight PowerTitan units, using black-start capability to work around unstable grid conditions and cut long outages. Health System for Climate-Linked Risks: The Health Ministry launched a costed national roadmap to expand acute febrile illness diagnostic capacity, aiming to strengthen surveillance, lab quality, and outbreak readiness. Climate-Resilient Land Use in Informal Settlements: SLURC is working with communities in Thompson Bay and Pamoronko to push more inclusive land-use practices that reduce flooding risk as Freetown grows. Water Infrastructure Progress: WASHAERP steering committee chair Hannah McCarthy inspected key Guma Valley Water projects ahead of commissioning, targeting safer, more reliable drinking water for underserved Western Area communities. Cybersecurity Watch: NatCA says it’s monitoring ongoing cyber incidents and urges the public to protect accounts and report suspicious activity.

Solar Power & Reliability: Sierra Leone has commissioned a World Bank-backed RESPITE solar-plus-storage project, adding 35MWh of battery capacity via eight Sungrow PowerTitan units—aimed at cutting long outages that can last up to 18 hours on a grid dominated by a single 161kV line. Grid Resilience: Sungrow says black-start and off-grid capability helped commissioning continue despite weak network conditions, using a local microgrid to create stable testing conditions. Health Systems: The Ministry of Health launched a costed national roadmap to expand acute febrile illness diagnostic capacity, targeting gaps in labs, staffing, biosafety, quality systems, specimen referral, supply chains, and data management. Climate-Ready Land Use: In Freetown, SLURC is working with communities to promote climate-resilient land-use practices in Thompson Bay and Pamoronko, focusing on flooding risks and more inclusive planning. Community Energy & Water: WASHAERP officials inspected major water projects ahead of a presidential launch, while separate coverage highlights ongoing efforts to improve access to safe drinking water in the Western Area. Women & Governance: ECOWAS and partners push a 2035 gender parity goal for political leadership, with UNDP calling for dedicated financing mechanisms for women’s political participation.

Solar power upgrade: Sierra Leone has switched on a World Bank-backed solar-plus-storage project commissioned by Sungrow, aiming to raise electricity access from 16% to 36% under RESPITE, with the grid still facing long daily outages. Climate-resilient land use: SLURC is working with Freetown communities in Thompson Bay and Pamoronko to promote climate-resilient, inclusive land-use practices and reduce flood risk from weak enforcement and rapid urban growth. Water security: WASHAERP officials inspected Guma Valley Water Company projects, including Babadorie Raw Water Storage and Allen Town treatment works, ahead of a presidential launch to improve safe drinking water in the Western Area. Youth climate-and-jobs link: In Makeni, youths protested non-disbursement of World Bank PSSNYE/Youth Employment funds, highlighting how stalled support can undermine livelihoods. Community-based health capacity: Government launched Sierra Leone’s first Advanced Field Epidemiology Training Programme to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response. Regional governance: ECOWAS and Nigeria pushed reforms to boost women’s political leadership by 2035, with Sierra Leone’s gender minister calling for stronger economic empowerment to make inclusion real. Sustainable fashion with roots: Akilah’s Jewellery spotlighted nature-based, forest-linked craft and sustainable materials, tying African heritage to a green economy.

WASH & Water Security: Minister Hannah Isatta Sao-Kpato Macarthy inspected WASHAERP water works in Freetown, including Babadorie Raw Water Storage and the Allen Town Water Treatment Plant, ahead of President Bio’s planned launch—aimed at improving safe, reliable drinking water for long-underserved communities. Climate-Resilient Land Use: Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) is working with communities in Thompson Bay and Pamoronko to tackle flooding risks through more inclusive, community-driven land-use planning and better enforcement. Energy Access: Sungrow commissioned a solar-plus-storage project tied to a 35 MWh battery system, part of the World Bank-backed RESPITE push to raise electricity access and cut long grid outages. Public Health Preparedness: Government launched Sierra Leone’s first Advanced Field Epidemiology Training Programme to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response capacity. Tobacco Control: Sierra Leone reaffirmed commitment to protect tobacco control policies from industry interference, focusing on WHO FCTC Article 5.3. Youth & Livelihoods: Makeni youths protested non-disbursement of World Bank-funded PSSNYE empowerment funds, saying most beneficiaries have not received promised payments. Digital Safety: NatCA urged public vigilance as it monitors cybersecurity incidents and coordinates a national response.

Water & Infrastructure: Sierra Leone’s WASHAERP Steering Committee chair, Minister Hannah Isatta Sao-Kpato Macarthy, inspected Guma Valley Water Company projects including Babadorie Raw Water Storage and the Allen Town Water Treatment Plant ahead of President Bio’s commissioning, saying the works will expand safe water access for long-underserved communities in the Western Area and beyond. Climate-Resilient Cities: Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) is engaging communities in Freetown—especially Thompson Bay and Pamoronko—to promote climate-resilient land use, tackling flooding risks linked to weak enforcement and rapid urban growth. Energy Transition: Sungrow commissioned a solar-plus-storage project tied to a 35 MWh battery system, described as the first national-scale grid-connected generation in nearly a decade, under the World Bank-backed RESPITE plan to raise electricity access. Governance & Security: President Bio reaffirmed stronger partnership with Paramount Chiefs after consultations in Bo, framing traditional leadership as key to governance, peace, and local security. Digital Safety: NatCA urged public vigilance as it monitors cybersecurity incidents and coordinates a national response, advising citizens to use multi-factor authentication and verify online requests. Health Capacity: Government launched Sierra Leone’s first Advanced Field Epidemiology Training Programme to strengthen outbreak investigation and emergency response. Regional Diplomacy: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI reception in Freetown highlighted the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline and ECOWAS regional cooperation.