The Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) has commenced its in – person capacity – building training programme with Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) in Kampala, Uganda on Monday, 19 October, 2026.
The programme focused on key areas of electricity regulation, including regulatory governance, institutional independence, tariff determination, financial regulation, licensing and compliance monitoring, technical and utility performance monitoring, and consumer protection and stakeholder engagement.
The programme ran from 19 to 23 October 2026. During this period, the SLEWRC delegation was able to gained insights from Uganda’s experience with electricity regulation and examine possible ways of strengthening electricity regulation in Sierra Leone.
The first day of the training programme focused on the importance of regulatory goverance, effective leadership, transparency in decision making processes and engagement with various stakeholders.
Discussions also addressed the challenges of balancing electricity tariffs with consumer affordabilty, the finacial sustainability of utilities and the need for continued investment in infrastructure.
The training sessions highlighted ways in which utilities could improve their performance and reduce electricity losses during distribution to consumers. Discussions also recognised that maintaining existing tariffs rates may be necessary to support investments in the electrical infrastructure of utilities.
The discussions further highlighted the importance of ensuring that regulatory decisions translate into tangible benefits for consumers. Participants emphasised that effective regulation should extend beyond tariff-setting and licensing of utilities to include monitoring of service quality, improving reliability, address consumer concerns and holding utilities accountable for their performance.
For SLEWRC, the training provided practical insights as the commission continues to strengthen its regulatory capacity and support reforms within Sierra Leone’s electricity sector.
The opening day’s session formed part of a week-long training programme that brought together technical presentations, practical discussions and knowledge-sharing between the two regulatory institutions.
Through the training programme, SLEWRC strengthened its institutional learning and professional exchange with ERA, reaffirming its commitments to effective regulation, consumer protection and improved electricity service delivery in Sierra Leone.
