Popular actor Idris Elba is planning on developing Sherbro Island, an island off the coast of Sierra Leone into an eco-friendly smart city.
Details
Elba has enlisted childhood friend Siaka Stevens, the grandson of a former Sierra Leonean president of the same name, onto the project.
In 2019, they created Sherbro Alliance Partners (SAP) and struck a deal with the Sierra Leonean government to develop the island.
The project will be financed through a public-private partnership, and the island will be designated a special economic zone with a separate legal and economic system from the rest of Sierra Leone.
For energy generation, wind and solar farms, including five wind turbines, an array of solar panels, and battery storage, will be built by Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s largest investors in renewable energy.
Octopus said construction was scheduled to begin later this year in 2024, though the timing depends on weather conditions.
Zoom Out
The island had a population of around 30,000 people in 2013, when the latest available data was recorded – and is approximately 600 sq km (230 sq miles). That is a little bigger than the Isle of Man off the UK and about twice the size of Malta.
By The Numbers
Only 28% of Sierra Leone’s population currently has access to electricity – and rural areas like Sherbro Island have no main power.
The project budget has not been made publicly but investments from different sources suggest that the smart city project will likely run into billions of dollars.
Graveyard of African Smart City Projects
This is not the first time a proposal to build smart cities in Africa has been pushed.
Popular musician Akon proposed a project to build Akon City in Senegal but that hasn’t yet come to fruition. Other smart city projects including Hope City in Ghana and Kenya’s Konza Tecnocity haven’t been able to bear fruit.
What They’re Saying
“We believe that Sherbro Island City will be an economic engine for our country and neighbours,” Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone president
“If you’re going to do it, make sure you do it properly“, ldris Elba said, reflecting on the advice of his late father.
“You do it good, you do it with all your heart because that’s the best you can do.”
Source: BBC
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