World Bank Approves $40M Grant To Sierra Leone
Freetown, Sept. 29, 2025 —
The World Bank has approved a $40 million grant under the International Development Association (IDA) to launch the Sierra Leone Water Security and WASH Access Improvement Project.
The funding marks the first phase of a $180 million, decade-long program aimed at transforming water access, sanitation, and climate resilience across the country.
According to a World Bank statement, the project will initially focus on the Western Area, and is expected to benefit 5 million people, including 2.5 million women and 1.5 million youths. Plans include improved water supply systems, expanded sanitation infrastructure, and strengthened institutional reforms.
Despite Sierra Leone’s abundant rainfall, the country faces economic water scarcity due to underdeveloped infrastructure and weak governance. Only 63% of the population have access to basic water services, 23% use improved drinking water sources on their premises, and just 32% have access to safely managed or basic sanitation. Access to hygiene facilities is even lower, with only 12% of the population covered.
The project also promises economic benefits, including: Creation of 1,400 direct jobs through infrastructure upgrades and service expansion; Training of 600 professionals to boost institutional capacity; additional 50,000 cubic meters of annual fecal sludge treatment capacity; Improved water services for 400,000 people in the Western Area; enhanced sanitation and hygiene for 1.3 million people, including 80,000 who will gain access to upgraded public facilities.
Other components include a national water resources master plan, operational improvements at the Guma Valley Water Company, and a nationwide behavior-change campaign to make Sierra Leone “open-defecation free.”
“This project is a critical step forward,” said Abdu Muwonge, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone. “It enhances public health, environmental sustainability, and lays the foundation for resilient economic growth.”
The broader $180 million Multiphase Programmatic Approach will roll out over 10 years, with future phases focused on institutional reforms, regulatory frameworks, and pooled funding to advance Sierra Leone’s water, sanitation, and hygiene agenda.
