SIERRA LEONE ELECTRICITY AND WATER REGULATORY COMMISSION

What SIERRA LEONE ELECTRICITY AND WATER REGULATORY COMMISSION does

Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) is a statutory regulatory body established in 2011 under the SLEWRC Act No. 13 of 2011 and re-constituted under the SLEWRC Act 2025. It holds the exclusive legal mandate to regulate the provision of electricity, water, and sanitation services in Sierra Leone, issuing and enforcing licenses, setting and approving tariffs, monitoring compliance, and protecting consumer interests across the formal utility sector. Its core "products" are regulatory services rather than commercial offerings — including licensing for electricity generation/transmission/distribution, mini-grid operations, captive power, electrical contractors, bottled and sachet water producers, and plumbers; tariff-setting frameworks such as the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) for mini-grids and approved tariff structures for EDSA, SALWACO, and Guma Valley Water Company; consumer complaints handling and dispute resolution with quasi-judicial powers; and compliance monitoring via field inspections and enforcement operations. The Commission is governed by a Board of Commissioners representing the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Water, Sierra Leone Consumer Protection Agency, Sierra Leone Labour Congress, and the Sierra Leone Institute of Engineers, with a Director-General as chief executive; Festus Kallay assumed the Director-General role on 15 November 2025 following the handover from founding Director-General Dr. Emmanuel Mannah. Revenue is generated through four streams: licensing fees (electricity, water, mini-grid, captive generation, bottled/sachet water, contractors), regulatory levies on utilities (which grew from approximately NLe 400,000 to NLe 4.5 million under Dr. Mannah's tenure), compliance penalties, and government budgetary support. The Commission operates from its Freetown headquarters (1 Samuel Banister Drive, Wilberforce) with regional offices in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni, serving a national market spanning electricity consumers, water consumers, mini-grid operators, water producers, and electrical contractors.

Name

SIERRA LEONE ELECTRICITY AND WATER REGULATORY COMMISSION

Legal name

Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission

Website

https://ewrc.gov.sl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) is the sole statutory regulator of electricity, water, and sanitation services in Sierra Leone, issuing licenses, approving tariffs, enforcing compliance, and resolving consumer disputes through its Freetown headquarters and regional offices in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Utility Regulation

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (926130), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory Compliance Monitoring & Reporting (SDWA/CWA/NPDES, permits, audits) (EUANAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG)

Keywords

• Electricity sector regulation
• Water sector regulation
• Utility licensing services
• Tariff setting and approval
• Consumer protection regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Freetown

HQ country

Sierra Leone

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensing Fees: Fees collected from issuing and renewing licenses for electricity generation, transmission, distribution, mini-grid operators, water production, bottled water, electrical contractors, and other regulated entities
2. Regulatory Levies: Levies imposed on regulated entities operating in electricity and water sectors; revenue grew from approximately NLe 400,000 to NLe 4.5 million under Dr. Mannah's leadership
3. Penalties and Compliance Fees: Penalties collected from non-compliant regulated entities during enforcement operations
4. Government Support: Government budgetary support for regulatory operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) is the statutory body that regulates electricity, water and sanitation services in Sierra Leone. Its core work is issuing and renewing licenses to electricity and water operators, setting and approving tariffs, monitoring compliance with license terms and service-quality standards, handling consumer complaints and disputes through a quasi-judicial process, and enforcing regulatory standards through provincial field operations. The Commission serves regulated utilities, mini-grid operators, water producers, electrical contractors and end consumers.

Product overview

The Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) is a statutory regulatory body that does not offer a commercial technology product. Instead, it provides regulatory services and frameworks including electricity and water licensing (generation, transmission, distribution), tariff setting and approval (for EDSA, mini-grids, SALWACO, Guma Valley), the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) framework for transparent mini-grid tariff calculation, consumer complaints handling and dispute resolution, compliance monitoring and enforcement, and public register services. The Commission's regulatory instruments include codes, standards, and quality regulations. All services are administered through its headquarters in Freetown with regional offices in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electricity Licensing Services Statutory licensing of electricity generation, transmission, distribution, mini-grid operators, captive power generation (10 kVA and above), importers and manufacturers of electrical equipment, and electrical contractors in Sierra Leone.
• Water Licensing Services Statutory licensing of water production, transmission and distribution, bottled and sachet water production and import permits, and certification of plumbers, pipe layers, plumbing contractors, manufacturers and importers of water-related equipment.
• Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) Framework Transparent, predictable tool for calculating mini-grid electricity tariffs using evidence-based methodology, enabling stakeholder consultations and regulatory oversight of rural electrification pricing.
• Electricity Tariff Setting and Approval Approval and regulation of electricity tariffs for EDSA and mini-grid operators through board resolution and public consultation processes; the EDSA tariff effective 1 October 2023 was resolved at the 26 September 2023 board meeting.
• Water Tariff Setting and Approval Approval and regulation of water tariffs for SALWACO and Guma Valley Water Company through board resolution processes; the SALWACO tariff was approved on 12 May 2022 and became effective 15 June 2022.
• Consumer Complaints Handling Processing and resolution of consumer complaints for electricity (metering, billing, customer service, infrastructure) and water (leakages, tampered pipes, availability, quality, billing and metering) through mediation and formal hearing procedures with complaint-number tracking.
• Dispute Resolution Service Quasi-judicial hearing process where parties present cases before a Commission panel, with 30-60 day decision timelines, providing independent arbitration of disputes between consumers and regulated utilities.
• Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Field inspections, monitoring of license compliance, and enforcement of regulatory standards including captive generation licenses (10 kVA+) and commercial operating permits across provincial headquarters.
• Public Register of Licensed Entities Publicly accessible register of all entities licensed by the Commission in the electricity and water sectors, as mandated by Section 16 of the SLEWRC Act.
• Regulatory Instruments and Codes Development and maintenance of electricity and water codes, regulations, standards and quality-of-supply regulations for the regulated industries. The Commission has produced 19 such regulatory instruments.
• Sachet Water Price Regulation Statutory price controls establishing approved factory prices, distributor prices and maximum consumer prices for sachet water products, agreed at the 27 May 2022 press conference.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue growth from NLe 400,000 to NLe 4.5 million through regulatory fees and levies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Collaborated with SLEWRC on nationwide MYTO roadshow for mini-grid tariff popularization. Provided technical support and implementation assistance for community engagement activities across provincial locations from May 18-23, 2026.
• Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Partnered in MYTO community engagement roadshow supporting mini-grid sector expansion and regulatory transparency. Contributed to technical and programmatic aspects of the initiative.
• PivotPath LimitedsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Local implementation partner collaborating with SLEWRC and international partners on MYTO communication strategy and community engagement across rural mini-grid communities.
• Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Collaborated on three-day institutional review engagement from April 16-18, 2026 to modernize SLEWRC operations and enhance regulatory oversight frameworks.
• National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA)supportingTechnology or Integration · 16 April 2026Participated in institutional review stakeholder engagement. Key inter-agency partner for water sector regulatory coordination and compliance mechanisms.
• ERERA (ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional regulatory counterpart for ECOWAS electricity sector regulation providing oversight and coordination across West African regional electricity markets.
• Ministry of Energy (Sierra Leone)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry providing policy direction and oversight for electricity sector regulation. Key stakeholder in regulatory framework development.
• EDSA (Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority)coreOthersPrimary regulated electricity distribution utility under SLEWRC oversight. Subject to tariff approvals, licensing requirements and compliance monitoring.
• SALWACO (Sierra Leone Water Company)coreOthersMajor regulated water utility subject to SLEWRC tariff approvals and quality standards. Tariff approved effective June 2022.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA): Regional regulatory body for ECOWAS electricity markets with mandate for cross-border coordination. SLEWRC is a member; ERERA operates as a supra-national peer with broader scope but less direct licensing authority.

Others

• National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Uganda: While a utility operator rather than a regulator, NWSC is a state-owned water utility in a comparable African context and is often subject to regulatory oversight by bodies like SLEWRC. Helpful as a counterpart/reference entity for understanding regulated utility dynamics.

Direct peers

• Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Kenya: Kenya's multi-sector regulator for electricity, petroleum, and renewable energy covering licensing, tariff-setting, and consumer protection. Closely parallel to SLEWRC's electricity and water regulatory mandate within an African developing-market context.
• Zambia Energy Regulatory Authority (ERB): Zambia's multi-sector energy regulator covering electricity, petroleum, and biofuels. Comparable statutory mandate and African developing-market context, useful benchmark for SLEWRC's regulatory evolution.
• Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) Ghana: Ghana's national multi-sector utility regulator overseeing electricity and water services, with statutory tariff-setting, licensing, and consumer protection functions. Highly comparable to SLEWRC in mandate, structure, and African regulatory context, though more mature and better resourced.
• Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) Tanzania: Tanzania's multi-sector regulator for energy, water, and sanitation services with tariff-setting and licensing authority. SLEWRC explicitly cites its institutional structure and SLEWRC Act 2025 reforms (Deputy DG, tribunal) as drawing on similar African regulatory models.
• Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) Uganda: Uganda's electricity sector regulator with licensing, tariff-setting, and consumer protection functions. Comparable as a national African electricity regulator though narrower in scope than SLEWRC's combined electricity+water mandate.
• Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA): Rwanda's multi-sector regulator covering energy, water, sanitation, transport, and ICT. Comparable in scope and operational model, and often cited as a benchmark for African utility regulation modernization.
• Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC): Nigeria's independent electricity regulator with licensing, tariff approval, and consumer protection mandates. Comparable in being a sector-specific statutory regulator operating in a developing market context, though at vastly larger scale.

Regional players

• Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC): Liberia's electricity sector regulator covering a smaller jurisdiction with overlapping regulatory challenges. Most geographically and developmentally closest peer to SLEWRC in the West African region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/SLEWRC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sierra-leone-electricity-and-water-regulatory-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SIERRA LEONE ELECTRICITY AND WATER REGULATORY COMMISSION