Ghanaian firm Deloitte Ghana, working with UK-based ASI, supported Sierra Leone’s national electricity distributor, EDSA. Their efforts improved how electricity is tracked, billed, and paid for. This initiative strengthened revenue collection and built a more sustainable foundation for Sierra Leone’s energy future.
The project focused on addressing deep-rooted challenges in Sierra Leone’s electricity sector. These issues included aging infrastructure, incomplete customer records, and widespread electricity losses. These problems made it difficult for EDSA to track power and identify where revenue was being lost. The resulting revenue shortfalls hindered EDSA's ability to maintain infrastructure and invest in upgrades.
This partnership highlights the growing role of Ghanaian expertise in addressing critical infrastructure challenges across West Africa. Similar issues of unreliable data systems and revenue leakage plague many national utilities, including some in Ghana. Building financial sustainability in the energy sector is crucial for economic growth across the region. Ghana, with its own experience in utility reforms, provides valuable insights.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded this support. A Deloitte statement indicated the program aimed to strengthen EDSA's revenue protection and energy accounting. Deloitte specialists worked directly with EDSA staff to build internal capabilities.
The pilot program delivered important improvements in monitoring electricity flows and managing commercial performance. It gave EDSA a clearer picture of where losses were occurring. Inspections identified faulty meters, illegal connections, and billing irregularities. This strengthened internal capacity to continue progress beyond the pilot.
Improving revenue protection strengthens utility finances. It creates conditions for a more reliable, investment-ready energy system. Businesses need stable power to grow and create jobs. Households and public services depend on electricity for healthcare and education. This intervention addresses a core barrier to a stronger power sector. It tackles limited visibility and weak accountability across the network.
The project began in District 80 before expanding into Districts 79 and 81 in Freetown. This expansion aimed to scale improvements more widely. The core goal was to give EDSA a clearer understanding of electricity supply, consumption, and loss. Field teams conducted targeted inspections of customer connections and meters. They focused on large commercial users, where losses can have a significant financial impact.
Billing systems and customer databases were also reviewed to identify gaps. These inconsistencies affected revenue collection. The project built EDSA's internal capability through direct staff training and data analysis. Deloitte also developed recommendations for EDSA’s Revenue Protection Unit. The utility is now exploring using internal funding to continue these improvements. This approach will help sustain momentum and further scale the program's benefits.