On Thursday, May 21, 2026, a high-level delegation converged on the NANT Power Project construction site in Kissy, Freetown, for a firsthand assessment of progress on what is shaping up to be one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Sierra Leone’s history.
Leading the delegation was Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, joined by Minister of Energy Cyril Grant, Steven Grudda, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation Country Director for Sierra Leone, alongside senior government officials and representatives of international partner institutions. Together, they assessed progress on the 108-megawatt LPG/LNG facility that, upon completion, promises to fundamentally reshape electricity supply across the country.
Chief Minister Sengeh confirmed the project carries an investment value of approximately $416 million, backed by the United States Government through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the Australian Government. Now more than halfway complete, the plant is being built under the supervision of General Manager Abu Kamara, a Sierra Leonean energy expert overseeing what is set to become the first combined-cycle power plant within the Mano River Union. “The purpose of this visit is to assess the work firsthand and ensure the project remains on schedule,” Sengeh said, adding that the Ministry of Energy receives monthly progress reports from the project developers.
Minister of Energy Cyril Grant described the plant as a direct answer to Sierra Leone’s long-standing electricity deficit, noting that once operational, it will supply Freetown and the entire Western Area while generating spare capacity to attract industrial investment. Unlike conventional plants that rely on diesel or heavy fuel oil, this facility will run on Liquefied Natural Gas and LPG propane delivered through a dedicated pipeline already installed at the site — a cleaner and more cost-efficient approach that Grant said aligns with global best practice. He expects the persistent power shortages gripping the country to ease significantly when the plant becomes fully operational in the first quarter of 2027.
Karim Nasser, the Executive Chairman and the man whose vision anchors the entire initiative, told the delegation the project remains on schedule and could represent the second-largest private sector investment in Sierra Leone’s history after African Minerals. The combined-cycle system — which captures waste heat from gas turbines to generate additional steam power — is expected to produce roughly 110 megawatts, accounting for nearly 70 percent of Sierra Leone’s national grid. In 2024, the project won “Project of the Year” for its innovative financing structure.
Nasser also highlighted that 90 percent of the workforce are Sierra Leoneans, with women making up 22 percent of employees on site. The first turbine is expected to ignite in March 2027, with full commercial operations scheduled for August of that year. “We cannot do it alone,” he said. “One hand alone cannot clap.”
The Chief Minister of Sierra Leone Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, accompanied by the Minister of Energy Cyril Grant and MCC Cordinator In Sierra Leone conducts a field assessment of the Nant Power Plant at the Kissy Dockyard In Freetown.
