The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has officially launched a new renewable energy project in Sierra Leone aimed at improving electricity access, supporting rural businesses and creating economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
The project, known as Sustainable Rural Development through Renewable Energy (SURE), with a special focus on women-led enterprises, seeks to make renewable energy more accessible, affordable and economically sustainable for communities across Sierra Leone.
The launch ceremony brought together senior government officials, development partners, representatives of the private sector and other stakeholders involved in Sierra Leone’s energy and economic development.
Government institutions represented at the event included the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, and the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF).
Representatives from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Embassy in Freetown and the European Union in Sierra Leone also attended the ceremony.
The SURE project is co-funded by BMZ and the European Union and builds on GIZ’s previous efforts to expand rural electricity access in Sierra Leone.
These include the Energising Development (EnDev) programme and the Transformational Energy Use for Sierra Leone I (TEUSL I) project, which have contributed to efforts to improve access to renewable energy in underserved communities.
Unlike initiatives that focus mainly on providing electricity, SURE aims to address the wider challenges that prevent rural communities and businesses from benefiting economically from renewable energy.
The project will focus on strengthening institutions to attract investment, developing technical skills to operate and maintain renewable energy systems, improving access to finance and encouraging businesses to use electricity for income-generating activities.
A major focus of the initiative is supporting women-led enterprises, particularly in rural communities where limited access to reliable electricity can affect business growth and economic opportunities.
Through the project, women entrepreneurs are expected to receive support to make productive use of renewable energy, expand their businesses, increase their incomes and participate more actively in Sierra Leone’s energy transition.
The initiative also recognises that providing electricity alone may not be enough to transform rural economies unless communities have the financial resources, technical knowledge and business opportunities needed to use it effectively.
By connecting renewable energy access with entrepreneurship, skills development and investment, SURE aims to help create conditions for sustainable economic activities in rural areas.
The project comes as Sierra Leone continues efforts to improve electricity access, particularly in communities where unreliable or limited power supply remains a challenge for households and small businesses.
In its announcement, GIZ Sierra Leone expressed appreciation to government representatives, development partners, private sector stakeholders and its team for their participation in the launch.
The organisation also reaffirmed its commitment to working with partners to translate the project’s objectives into lasting economic opportunities for rural communities.
The launch marks the beginning of another initiative aimed at linking renewable energy development with rural economic growth, with women entrepreneurs expected to play a central role in its implementation.
