get latest news from West Africa

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a new Country Strategy Paper (CSP) for Sierra Leone for 2025–2030, committing approximately $500 million over the next five years to foster sustainable economic growth, strengthen resilience to fragility, and promote inclusive development.
Newspaper Subscriptions
The strategy is built around two key priorities: developing sustainable infrastructure to enhance private sector competitiveness and supporting agricultural value-chain development to boost job creation and food security.
These focus areas directly target Sierra Leone’s core development challenges, notably infrastructure gaps, limited private sector value addition, and high vulnerability to climate change.
With an estimated $2.1 billion in total financing, including co-financing from development partners, the CSP aligns with the government’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and Vision 2030, which aim to position Sierra Leone as a middle-income economy.
Flagship infrastructure initiatives will focus on expanding renewable energy generation, increasing electricity access from 41% in 2024 to 60% by 2030—alongside upgrading climate-resilient road networks and improving water and sanitation systems to provide an additional 1.2 million people with access to safe drinking water.
The agricultural component prioritizes agro-industrial transformation, aiming to reduce food import dependency, currently at 70% for staple crops like rice, while creating over 500,000 jobs, particularly for women and youth, through support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Sierra Leone’s economy has demonstrated resilience with real GDP growth averaging 6.7% from 2020-2024, driven by the agriculture and services sectors.
The new strategy builds on this momentum and leverages the Bank’s existing portfolio of 10 ongoing projects worth $150 million, which have already improved road connectivity and energy access.
“This strategy represents a bold step toward building a resilient and inclusive economy in Sierra Leone. By investing in sustainable infrastructure and agriculture, we are empowering communities, creating jobs, and supporting Sierra Leone’s vision for transformative growth,” said Halima Hashi, Country Manager, Sierra Leone
Programmes such as the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) will provide targeted financing and training to women-led agribusinesses, while digital tools will enhance supply chain efficiency and market access throughout the agricultural sector.
The CSP aligns with Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy.
The strategy also supports Sierra Leone’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enhancing trade infrastructure and agricultural exports.
The strategy incorporates cross-cutting themes including climate change mitigation, gender equality, and youth empowerment. It aims to reduce Sierra Leone’s carbon footprint through renewable energy projects and promote climate-smart agriculture to mitigate impacts from floods and droughts that have increasingly affected the country.
Implementation commences immediately with close coordination between the government, private sector, and civil society to maximize impact and ensure alignment with national priorities.
Environmental and social safeguards will ensure compliance with national regulations, including Sierra Leone’s 2022 Environmental Protection Act.
The strategy addresses structural drivers of fragility through targeted investments in infrastructure and agricultural value chains, with monitoring systems designed to track progress toward measurable development outcomes and gender-inclusive results.