In 2023, Sierra Leone’s electricity consumption was just **25 kWh per person**, compared with the global average of **3,794 kWh per person**—less than 1% of that benchmark, or roughly 150 times lower. Low-carbon electricity generation amounted to about **24 kWh per person**, equivalent to roughly 96% of the total, leaving only around 1 kWh per person from fossil sources. This is a predominantly clean electricity mix, but the amount available is extremely small. Such low electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, refrigeration, business development, and reliable digital services. Increasing clean electricity supply would support these essential services without increasing the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Sierra Leone?

The latest figures do not show Sierra Leone reaching new heights in electricity consumption. At 25 kWh per person, the 2023 total was **11 kWh below the 2018 record of 36 kWh**, a decline of about 31% from that peak. Low-carbon generation was also below its previous record: 24 kWh per person in 2023 versus 25 kWh in 2019, a reduction of about 4%. These comparisons do not establish what happened in every intervening year, but they show disappointing progress relative to earlier achievements. Sierra Leone needs sustained growth in clean electricity to improve access and meet future demand from electrification and digital development.

Suggestions

Sierra Leone could prioritize solar projects, including community-scale systems and larger installations supported by stronger electricity networks and storage. **South Africa provides a relevant African reference**, generating 20 TWh from solar, 12 TWh from wind, and 12 TWh from nuclear in the supplied data. Pakistan and India offer additional examples of substantial solar development, producing about 41 TWh and 192 TWh respectively. Wind could complement solar where local resource assessments identify suitable sites. Sierra Leone should also consider nuclear electricity within its long-term development planning, including regional cooperation, workforce training, and institutional preparation. France’s 379 TWh of nuclear generation illustrates its potential to supply large amounts of dependable low-carbon electricity. These examples demonstrate possibilities rather than directly transferable targets for Sierra Leone.

History

The supplied historical figures show little change in Sierra Leone’s low-carbon electricity generation during the listed years. Hydropower recorded no reported annual increase throughout the listed years of the 2000s, followed by a **0.1 TWh increase in 2010**, equivalent to about 100 million kWh. From 2011 through 2019, every listed hydropower change was zero, indicating no further reported expansion at the data’s precision. Solar likewise recorded zero change in 2017 and 2023; this does not necessarily mean that solar generation itself was zero. Overall, the history shows one notable hydropower gain followed by prolonged stagnation in the reported figures, underscoring the need for a new phase of clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade