Makeni

Makeni is one of Sierra Leone’s major secondary cities and an important service centre for the north. Urban expansion has increased pressure on water, sanitation, drainage, roads and waste systems, while heavy rainfall can expose neighbourhoods to flooding where culverts and drains are undersized or poorly maintained.

The Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project includes Makeni in programmes for integrated urban planning, infrastructure upgrading, solid-waste management and disaster preparedness. African Development Bank investment through the Three Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project has also improved water and sanitation infrastructure. These interventions support the city’s regional role by strengthening the basic systems on which households and businesses depend. Makeni’s future growth is more manageable when new neighbourhoods are connected to these networks early, rather than allowing expansion to outpace municipal services.