Senegalese-born international music star, Aliaume Damala Badara popularly known as Akon is planning a solar investment programme for Sierra Leone as part of plans to support the government of President Julius Maada Bio.

The investment by Akon, who also met with the President of  the United States, Donald Trump on the sidelines of the just concluded United Nations General Assembly, UNGA will comprise the provision of 5,000 solar street lights and 2,500 traffic lights.

In an interview which was shared by the Sierra Leonian presidency, Akon said: “Actually, the president motivated me a lot more, you know; he is a very smart guy. He definitely understands Sierra Leone and he understands the future where Africa needs to be.

“Meeting with a lot of the younger Africans who have been elected now is really motivating because my biggest challenge was getting presidents to understand the vision, and with him we speak the same language.

He added: “We pretty much have the same thought process so I think he’s going to do very well for Sierra Leone.”

Akon has already taken his solar investment program to his native Senegal and also to the Gambia where he met with President Adama Barrow last year.