The Nant Power Generation Project, poised to deliver a significant 108 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, was officially unveiled during a community stakeholder engagement at Kissy Dock Yard in Freetown on March 3, 2025. This initiative represents a transformative step towards sustainable power for Sierra Leone.
Spanning 17 months, the Nant Project will be the country’s first utility-scale independent power project, supplying reliable electricity to meet the pressing long-term energy needs of the nation.
Funding secured from the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and other sources aims to address energy access goals and replace costly temporary solutions.
During the event, Abu Kamara, General Manager of CECA Generation Limited, provided an overview of the project. He revealed that the project has been in the works since 2012 and will be implemented on a Built, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) basis as part of a public-private partnership. “After the concession period, it will be owned by the Government of Sierra Leone,” he noted.
Kamara emphasized the necessity of such partnerships, explaining that government funding alone cannot cover all development programs, prompting the need for private sector involvement to alleviate the capital burden. He highlighted earlier challenges, including a funding cut by the World Bank that delayed progress due to a push for clean energy.
Following necessary restructuring, the project’s capacity increased from 50 megawatts to 108 megawatts of combined cycle gas plant power.
After the project was launched by President Bio in June of the previous year, Kamara stated that they swiftly moved from the development phase to implementation.
Mohamed Jaward, a Senior Consultant at INTEGEMS, discussed various environmental challenges related to the project, particularly noise pollution. Plans to build a noise barrier are already in motion to mitigate this issue.
The Project Director representing Shapoorji Pallonji, the EPC contractor, confirmed that the contract has been signed and they have received the notice to proceed with the project. He announced plans to hire both skilled and unskilled labourers from the Dock Yard community, reflecting a commitment to local employment.
Minister of Labour, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, praised the contractor’s decision to prioritize local hiring, aligning with President Bio’s goal of creating 500,000 jobs over the next five years—a target that requires robust private sector participation. He assured attendees of the government’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for investors while urging contractors to complete the project on schedule. He also encouraged community members to demonstrate good conduct throughout the project’s duration.
In his keynote address, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Energy Governance Coordinating Group, stressed the importance of energy self-sufficiency. He reiterated President Bio’s vision for achieving energy sovereignty and expressed optimism about the project’s future capacity growth, projecting that it could generate up to 200 megawatts over time. He unveiled the government’s ‘Mission 300’ initiative, which includes a $2 billion compact for the energy sector aimed at attracting larger investments.
To address the country’s energy challenges effectively, Dr. Yumkella announced plans for a full audit of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) to identify inefficiencies that could impede project financing. He urged the community to protect the project’s infrastructure, stating, “Please don’t destroy the transformer, for if you destroy it, you have destroyed the nation.”
Chief Ya Bonwara Turay, Secion Chief of the Dock Yard Community, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, assuring that her constituents would fully cooperate with the contractors to ensure its success.
