President Bio announces free electricity plan for Freetown households — full details inside
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — President Julius Maada Bio has announced a sweeping new energy initiative that promises to provide free baseline electricity to households in the Western Area, with plans to expand the programme to Bo and Kenema by the third quarter of 2026.
The announcement, made during a nationally broadcast address from State House on Wednesday evening, was met with a mixture of cautious optimism and scepticism by Sierra Leoneans both at home and in the diaspora.
What the plan covers
According to the Ministry of Energy, the free electricity scheme will provide each qualifying household with up to 50 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month at no cost. Usage beyond that threshold will be billed at the standard NPA tariff.
Qualifying criteria include:
- Households with a registered NPA meter in the Western Area
- Monthly consumption below 80 kWh for the preceding 3 months
- No outstanding arrears with the National Power Authority
The pilot is expected to benefit an estimated 45,000 households in the first phase, rising to 150,000 across three cities by December 2026.
How it will be funded
The government confirmed that the programme is backed by a USD 28 million grant from the African Development Bank, combined with NLe 180 million from the national budget. An independent audit mechanism will be established to track expenditure quarterly.
Public reaction
Social media in Sierra Leone lit up within minutes of the address. WhatsApp groups were flooded with reactions ranging from celebration to suspicion, with many users noting that NPA's grid reliability would need to improve significantly for the scheme to have real impact.
Freetown-based business owner Aminata Kamara told Salone Buzz: "Free light sounds good, but what use is free light if NPA only supplies 6 hours a day? Fix the supply first, then talk about free."
Others were more optimistic. University student Mohamed Bangura wrote: "This is the first government that has actually said the word 'free' and provided a number. I'm watching, but I'm hopeful."
Rollout timeline
| Phase | Area | Date | Households |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Western Area | April 2026 | 45,000 |
| Phase 2 | Bo District | July 2026 | 35,000 |
| Phase 3 | Kenema District | September 2026 | 30,000 |
| Phase 4 | Makeni & others | December 2026 | 40,000+ |
The Ministry of Energy has set up a dedicated hotline (7272) for households to check eligibility and register for the scheme starting next Monday.
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