Sierra Leone Approves Sherbro Island Eco-City Plan, Co-Led by Idris Elba and Siaka Stevens

British actor, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Idris Elba has officially received the green light for one of West Africa’s most ambitious development projects, a sustainable, eco-smart city on Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone. The country’s Parliament has formally ratified the Investment Framework Agreement (IFA), a major milestone that paves the way for long-term, secure investment under a public-private partnership model.

The project, spearheaded by Idris Elba and his longtime friend and business partner Siaka Stevens, is the vision behind Sherbro Alliance Partners (SAP). Since its inception in 2019, SAP has worked closely with the Sierra Leonean government to position Sherbro Island as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and an innovation hub for sustainable development, tourism, and economic growth.

“As a son of the soil with a Sierra Leonean father and Ghanaian mother, I’ve always held onto the dream of returning to a thriving Sierra Leone”. Idris Elba shared with the press. “When I first visited Sierra Leone in 2019, I asked myself: what am I bringing back? This project is my answer, a legacy of meaningful investment and partnership.”

The IFA, now backed by national law, allows Sherbro Island to serve as a model for secure and scalable investment in Africa. The framework ensures that private and public sector collaborations are protected, incentivized, and built for longevity, a model that is rare and unique across the continent.

“Africa remains an untapped opportunity,” Idris Elba continued. “Part of the hesitation around investing in Africa stems from the lack of data, return-on-investment case studies, and confidence.

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, who hails from the Bonthe District, which includes Sherbro Island, has fully endorsed the initiative. In a meeting with Elba and the SAP team, President Bio emphasized his personal commitment: 

“This project is personal. It holds the potential to unlock Sierra Leone’s future as a destination for responsible investment and tourism. Sherbro Island City is more than an idea, it is now a reality backed by law, leadership, and vision.”

The project has received unanimous backing from Sherbro Island’s Paramount Chiefs and community stakeholders. As designated Development Authority for the SEZ, SAP is now positioned to begin full-scale planning and implementation of the Sherbro Island City designed to integrate sustainability, local job creation, education, healthcare, and smart infrastructure.

“This isn’t just a development project,” said Siaka Stevens, CEO and Co-Founder of SAP. “This is a legally enshrined commitment to building a new model for Africa, one rooted in trust, bold thinking, and community transformation.”

Sherbro Island City will focus on eco-friendly infrastructure, renewable energy, innovation hubs, tourism, and community inclusion designed not just to attract global investment, but to ensure Sierra Leoneans are active participants and beneficiaries in the development process.

Sherbro is ready. This is our chance to reshape how the world sees development in Africa. And the future starts now.