By Hassan I. Conteh

Government of Sierra Leone has approved a bill that will set the pace for the transformation of Sherbro Island into a smart city.

The investment initiative is big and will serve as a hub for similar developments in West Africa.

“Africa still remains an opportunity untapped because of lack of risk factors,” says Idris Elba, a popular actor and philanthropist, who is based in London.

On the question of investors’ fears to investing in the country’s proposed eco-city, he said the approval of the bill would restore confidence in investors to come to Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone to invest.

“The marketing of this [project] to international communities could now happen since we have been given the greenlight by the government,” he said at press conference at Radisson Blue Hotel in Freetown on June 26th 2025.

The eco-city would make way for hotels, restaurants, commodities trade, business housing and many more.

If everything goes well, the London actor plans to bring home his film industry as a hub for film production at the Sherbro Island city.

Currently, Sherbro Alliance Parners (SAP) are open up for business as they seek to attract more investors to kick start the project effectively within a five years period.

“For now feasibility studies will have to be done on the island especially as the island is known to be threatened by climate change,” he said.

SAP’s co-founder Idris Elba says a robust marketing plan is needed to be developed.

“We need to see this in motion,” he said.

Referencing United Arab Emirates (UAE), the actor and philanthropist, Idris Elba says “Sherbro eco-city” would be transformed into a special economic zone (SEZ), adding that the initiative would bring a stream of income to the government of Sierra Leone.

“I would like to thank all Sierra Leoneans. I want to thank the people who don’t believe in what we’re doing,” he said.

SAP has already secured deals with few international partners who have expressed deep interests to invest in the Island on the smart city.

Octopus Energy Generation, an investment firm, CEO’s said he was happy to hear of the good news of government of Sierra Leone approving Sherbro Island “eco-smart” city investment scheme.

“With the country aiming for 85% renewable energy capacity by 2030, and with the ratification of the investment framework bill as an anchor of that ambition, Sierra Leone can step onto the global stage as a strong voice in Africa’s clean energy transition,” Zoisa North Bond, CEO of Octopus firm.

Mr Bond added in a statement that they’re hoping to build a wind farm, first in the country’s history, which would create many green jobs for young and vibrant population of Sierra Leone.

“We are incredibly proud to bring it to life,” he said.

The Sherbro eco-city project is a dream initiative started by Idris Elba and his childhood friend Siaka Stevens in 2019.

Earlier this week, Parliament of Sierra Leone ratified the project’s bill, thus allowing Sherbro Island to be transformed into an eco-friendly “smart city.”

“I am deeply grateful to the Government of Sierra Leone, our partners, and everyone who has supported this vision from the beginning. Together, we are laying the foundations for a city that reflects the very best of Sierra Leone, its resilience, its talent, and its future,” said Idris Elba, Co-founder of Sherbro Alliance Partners, in a statement before the press conference.

Sherbro Island is located on the southern province of Sierra Leone and it is famously known for its deep history of Slave Trade and Slavery during the British Colonial Period in Sierra Leone in the 1800s.

The Island was a gateway where some Sierra Leonean black slaves were gathered and chained in colonial forts ready to be shipped in America, Canada and England.