Shaping Sierra Leone's Narrative for Energy Access and Development
Lesley Wamere
Sustainable Energy | Energy Security | Design Strategy | Chemical Engineering | Data Science
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller set against the backdrop of the Sierra Leone Civil War of 1991 to 2002, where conflict diamonds fuelled the brutal conflict driven by deeper issues such as political corruption, economic inequality, social exclusion and ethnic tensions. Sierra Leone, home to Africa's largest natural harbour in Freetown and major rivers like the Rokel and Moa, vital to local ecosystems and communities, experienced widespread devastation. The film captures the brutal realities of the war, including rape, mutilation, forced recruitment of child soldiers and human rights abuses. Sierra Leone's weak governance and regional instability, particularly due to the neighbouring Liberian Civil Wars of 1989 to 1996 and 1999 to 2003, compounded the country’s suffering. Even after the conflict, the country remains in the process of rebuilding from the lasting scars of the war.
As with film, narratives in literature have often shaped perceptions, albeit in a skewed manner, failing to capture the full nuances. In Neo-Imperialism in Children's Literature About Africa: A Study of Contemporary Fiction, Sierra Leonean author Yulisa Amadu Maddy and Donnarae MacCann analyse children’s literature that explores African themes, highlighting how these narratives influence young readers' views of Africa and reinforce global power imbalances. The book focuses on neo-imperialism and cultural hegemony, pointing out that imperialist ideologies still influence the portrayal of Africa in Western children's literature.
The authors argue that many of these stories subtly reinforce global inequalities, often perpetuating the victimization and dependency narrative: positioning Western characters as rescuers, workers, aid missionaries or educators, and Africa as dependent on the West for progress. African characters are portrayed as passive victims of poverty, war or environmental disasters, awaiting Western intervention. This narrative reinforces a worldview in which Africa is seen as incapable of solving its own problems, thus justifying continued Western involvement. Works focusing solely on aesthetic aspects and historical struggles may obscure more diverse narratives of modern African life, contributing to an oversimplified and romanticized view of the continent.
While the story in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer is inspiring, Maddy and MacCann critique it for framing Kamkwamba’s innovation in building a windmill to generate electricity for his village in Malawi as an exception, subtly implying that African creativity is rare. This focus on his unique accomplishment unintentionally perpetuates the stereotype that African innovation is surprising, rather than reflecting the broader historical context of resilience and ingenuity in African communities.
Africa’s diverse cultures are frequently reduced to monolithic identities, perpetuating outdated colonial stereotypes and limiting understanding of the continent's complexity. Many of these stories often emphasize a stereotypical rural setting and exoticize communal practices, while ignoring Africa’s modern diversity. There is not a single universal experience of childhood in Africa, but rather a pluralized one with multiple, distinct exposures influenced by cultural, socio-economic and geographical factors. For instance, Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier is about a Ugandan girl whose family’s life is transformed after receiving a goat through a Western charity programme. While economic assistance in adverse circumstances is important, the authors criticize it for lacking the idea that African development is more dependent on local agency and niche solutions.
The authors also explore resistance and counter-narratives by African writers and publishers, who offer more authentic portrayals of African experiences. These works, often overlooked by mainstream Western publishing, celebrate the resilience, diversity, autonomy and agency of African people, presenting stories rooted in African perspectives rather than the lens of Western intervention. In an increasingly multipolar world, Sierra Leone’s energy sector is being developed with regional African as well as Chinese and Arab partnerships, too.
Sierra Leone has 18 ethnic groups, including resettled Black Americans from the late 18th century. The major ethnic groups include Mende, Temne, Limba, Kono, Koranko, Fula, Sussu, Kissi and Loko, alongside European and Asian Bengali and Lebanese communities. The Limba people are considered the oldest group, and their language is distinct. Sierra Leone shares some ethnic ties with Guinea, notably the Temne and Fula tribes, and some Sierra Leoneans speak French due to proximity to Guinea.
Sierra Leone’s Gumbe Creole music genre uses the gumba drum, introduced by resettled Jamaicans, and combines traditional elements with calypso, featuring Portuguese guitars. The country also features elaborate masks in its cultural expressions. Bubu music, originating from the Temne people, was initially used in ceremonies before being modernized with electric sounds.
The Kingdom of Koya Temne (1505–1896) was a pre-colonial state in present day northern Sierra Leone. Nembanga (1775–1793), the Bai (king), signed a treaty with the British in 1788. However, between 1801 to 1807, Koya fought the British and lost. Other notable contemporaries included Madam Yoko, a leader of the Mende people, who was a warrior and diplomat, and Bai Bureh, a ruler and military strategist who led the Temne and Loko to fight against British colonial rule.
Sierra Leone’s population is religiously diverse, with approximately 70% being Muslim and 25% Christian, coexisting alongside indigenous beliefs, which has led to a unique religious hybridisation. Historical religious and political alliances during both the pre-colonial and colonial periods have significantly shaped the modern landscape, where many Sierra Leoneans adopt multiple religious identities. These dynamics also influenced the country's civil war and subsequent peacebuilding efforts.
Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources, including iron, titanium, bauxite, gold and diamonds, with the first three being essential for renewable energy development. Kenema, Kono and Bo are areas with the highest resource deposits. Many citizens lack access to necessities. Electrification is low, with a national rate of 25-30%. Urban areas have higher access (40-50%), while rural electrification is as low as 4.9%. The outdated power sector infrastructure leads to frequent breakdowns and high losses, constraining economic growth. Despite these challenges, the country has potential for renewable energy, including wind, solar and hydroelectric power.
The country’s energy mix is dominated by hydropower and diesel and heavy fuel oil (HFO) thermal generation. The Bumbuna Hydroelectric Power Station, experiencing significant seasonal output variations with a 50 MW capacity during the rainy season and only 8 MW during the dry season, is the largest source.
Sierra Leone faces challenges in delivering affordable and reliable electricity. There has been political interference and a lack of transparency in the energy sector, which hampers leveraging data, energy efficiency and competitive pricing.
The government aims to increase electrification to 92% by 2030, focusing on rural areas through grid extensions, off-grid solar solutions and mini-grids. It plans to generate at least 60% of electricity from renewable sources, primarily hydropower and solar. With international partnerships, the government also seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 and expand renewable energy capacity to 250 MW.
Recommended by LinkedIn
There is peer-to-peer energy trading, alonside remarkable reforms and strategic initiatives. In 2011, the electricity market was liberalized, providing an enabling environment for private sector investment and scaling up of renewable energy solutions. The Sierra Leone Energy Roadmap 2017 is a comprehensive strategy to diversify energy sources, improve access and increase the share of renewables.
Regionally, Sierra Leone collaborates with the West African Power Pool (WAPP) , establishing new electricity connections and partnerships with neighbouring countries. It engages in regional cooperation in mining through the Mano River Union (MRU), which includes Liberia, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire. This regional body promotes resource management, trade and cross-border investment. Sierra Leone also benefits from initiatives within the African Mining Vision (AMV), which encourages collaboration across African nations to ensure sustainability. Sierra Leone works with ECOWAS Commission to harmonise mining regulations and policies, promoting regional trade and ensuring responsible extraction.
Transformative projects driving Sierra Leone’s renewable energy transition:
To drive energy access and sustainable development, Sierra Leone must demonstrate outstanding political leadership in shaping its country’s narrative, mobilizing the nation towards inclusive development. A centralised team of technocrats and economists, while leveraging its diaspora, is essential for curating policy and long-term strategies for the country’s energy landscape. Fostering strategic partnerships with international and local businesses is critical to effectively responding to the fiscal environment, ensuring energy security and building a resilient energy system against climate impacts, as well as sustainable growth and equitable benefits for all.