By Hassan Osman Kargbo
A renowned actor and philanthropist, Idris Elba, has expressed his enthusiasm for transforming Sherbro Island into a vibrant eco-friendly ‘smart city.’
Speaking on Thursday 26 June 2025 at the Radisson Blu conference hall, Elba highlighted the island’s natural beauty and potential, emphasizing his commitment to bringing this vision to life.
The project, spearheaded by Sherbro Alliance Partners, a company co-founded by Elba and Siaka Stevens, aims to develop Sherbro Island into a thriving economic hub. The landmark public-private partnership (PPP) ratified by the Parliament of Sierra Leone will drive this development, focusing on sustainable practices and renewable energy.
According to Idris Elba, some of the Key Features of the Project would get are:
– Renewable Energy: The project includes building Sierra Leone’s first wind farm, with up to five wind turbines and solar panels with battery storage to generate clean electricity for local communities.
– Eco-Friendly Design: The city will be designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating green technology and minimizing environmental impact.
– Economic Growth: The development is expected to create thousands of jobs, stimulate economic growth, and provide a model for future development in Sierra Leone and beyond ¹.
Elba, who has a personal connection to the island through his father, expressed his desire to reframe the way Africa is viewed, moving away from the aid model and towards self-reliance and sustainable development. “I’m very keen to reframe the way Africa is viewed… as an aid model. This opportunity is completely different,” he emphasized.
The Sherbro Island City project is being developed in phases, with initial focus on building a thriving economy, robust infrastructure, and world-class amenities. International architecture firms Foster + Partners and Sasaki Associates will oversee the master plan and landscape architecture.
Through partnerships and Collaborations Mr. Elba noted that:
– Octopus Energy: Partnering with Sherbro Alliance Partners to build Sierra Leone’s first wind farm and develop renewable energy infrastructure.
– Government of Sierra Leone: Collaborating on the public-private partnership to drive the development of Sherbro Island.
– International Firms: Working with global experts in architecture, engineering, and sustainability to ensure the project’s success.
As the project progresses, it is expected to have a significant impact on Sierra Leone’s economic development and provide a model for sustainable growth in the region. With Idris Elba at the helm, the Sherbro Island City project is poised to become a beacon of innovation and progress in West Africa.
He thanked the government of Sierra Leone for making this dream a reality.
