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Sierra Leone has taken an important stride toward expanding access to clean, modern cooking solutions—one that directly lowers costs for households while creating stronger conditions for private-sector growth.

Through the 2026 Finance Act, the Government of Sierra Leone has approved zero import duties on a wide range of clean cooking technologies, including LPG cylinders, LPG fuel, stoves and accessories, and solar-powered electric cookstoves and panels below 300W. These changes remove a significant cost barrier for both consumers and businesses, making clean cooking solutions more financially attainable and more commercially viable across the country.

This policy achievement is the result of coordinated and sustained work by the Clean Cooking Delivery Unit (CCDU), a dedicated team housed in the Office of the President and led by Aminata Wurie. Over the past year, the CCDU brought together the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, PI-CREF, private-sector LPG suppliers, cookstove distributors, and solar companies to build consensus around the reforms. The team’s approach combined evidence gathering, consultation, and close alignment with national priorities. This ensured that the fiscal waivers were not just well-intentioned but directly targeted the core bottlenecks that have long limited affordability and market expansion.

The result is more than a policy change; it is an example of how delivery units translate high-level political goals into practical outcomes. Effective delivery requires more than drafting policies. It involves constant coordination, analytical rigor, and persistent follow-through across ministries and market actors. By doing this work, the CCDU helped bridge the gap between ambition and implementation, ensuring that improved policies can produce measurable benefits for households and communities.

Looking ahead to early 2026, the CCDU is preparing the next phase of implementation to make the fiscal reforms fully operational. In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Trade, the Unit will ensure the new waivers are reflected accurately in the ASYCUDA system. Engagement with LPG and solar companies will focus on ensuring fiscal savings translate into real consumer price reductions. The team will also begin systematic market monitoring to track affordability, adoption levels, and supply-chain performance. Finally, the CCDU will support expansion of retail, distribution, and entrepreneurship opportunities throughout the clean cooking ecosystem, helping to build a stronger and more inclusive market.

Sierra Leone’s progress highlights what is possible when strong political commitment is paired with a capable delivery mechanism. With the right structures in place, reforms can move quickly from policy intent to meaningful, lasting impact.

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