Water Resources Ministry Seeks Partnership with Egypt’s METIPRO
The Government of Sierra Leone is exploring a potential partnership with Egyptian engineering firm, METIPRO, to strengthen the country’s water infrastructure through innovative technologies and international financing.
The discussions took place during a courtesy meeting between the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Isatta Macarthy, and Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Executive Director for Business Development at METIPRO, who presented the company’s extensive experience in desalination, drinking water treatment, wastewater management and industrial water solutions.
With more than 70 years of experience and over 5,000 projects completed in more than 50 countries, Mr. Ibrahim said METIPRO, now part of Hassan Allam Holding, combined world-class engineering expertise with the ability to mobilise international financing for large-scale water infrastructure projects.
He assured the Government that the company was prepared to provide technical advice at no cost, while working with the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to identify priority investments and develop suitable financing options.
Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Macarthy said the Government was actively encouraging credible private sector investment to help transform Sierra Leone’s water sector, and identified seawater desalination as one of the country’s most promising long-term solutions.
She noted that although Sierra Leone possessed abundant freshwater resources, its extensive Atlantic coastline presented a unique opportunity to utilise desalination to improve water supply, particularly for the Western Area and surrounding regions.
The Minister also highlighted the strategic importance of the Rokel River Basin, suggesting that previous feasibility studies could provide a useful foundation for future investment. Seeking clarity on possible financing arrangements, she requested information on the models METIPRO had successfully used across Africa and the Middle East.
In response, Mr. Ibrahim explained that the company supported projects through a combination of government-backed financing, export credit facilities and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models tailored to the priorities and fiscal circumstances of partner governments.
He reaffirmed METIPRO’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s water sector, recommending a diversified approach that combines conventional water treatment, seawater desalination and brackish water treatment to ensure long-term water security.
The meeting also agreed on a roadmap for further engagement, with the Minister emphasising that the Government would undertake comprehensive due diligence before entering any formal partnership, including a technical assessment of METIPRO’s operations in Egypt.
She welcomed the company’s invitation for a Sierra Leonean delegation to visit its facilities and inspect completed projects before discussions progressed to potential financing arrangements and implementation models.
Both sides arranged to continue discussions following the proposed study visit, with any future agreement to proceed through the Government’s established approval processes, including Cabinet and the Ministry of Finance, where necessary.
METIPRO is a leading engineering, procurement, and construction firm specialising in advanced water and wastewater treatment, desalination, and industrial water solutions. Formerly the design and build division of the Metito Group, the company was acquired by Egyptian infrastructure giant, Hassan Allam Holding, to scale sustainable water mega-projects across the MENA region and beyond.
Communication Unit
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation