By: Aminata Sesay
The Government of Sierra Leone has taken a major step toward strengthening its public procurement system through an international assessment under the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS). This initiative forms part of the country’s broader strategy to improve governance, enhance transparency, and strengthen public financial management.
On Tuesday, officials from the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), the MAPS international assessment team, and senior representatives from the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) held a high-level meeting with the Financial Secretary, Mr. Matthew Dingie, at the Ministry of Finance. The session aimed to present preliminary findings from the MAPS diagnostic review and receive strategic guidance ahead of the stakeholder validation workshop scheduled for June 19, 2025.
The MAPS tool is an internationally recognized framework used to evaluate the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of national procurement systems. It assesses four key pillars: legal and regulatory frameworks, institutional frameworks and management capacity, procurement operations and market practices, and integrity and transparency mechanisms.
During the meeting, NPPA Chief Executive Officer Mr. Fodie J. Konneh emphasized the importance of aligning the country’s procurement system with global best practices. MAPS Team Lead Mr. Innocent Kamugisha provided an overview of the assessment’s methodology and objectives, highlighting opportunities for improvement and reform.
Financial Secretary Dingie welcomed the assessment and commended the inclusive approach taken by all partners involved. He acknowledged challenges such as legal gaps, weak enforcement, payment delays, and coordination issues, but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations, including potential amendments to the Public Procurement Act of 2016.
“Our goal is to ensure that the public procurement system delivers services efficiently, transparently, and accountably,” Dingie stated.
Ms. Lina Tutunji, Senior Procurement Specialist at the World Bank, noted that MAPS is not just a diagnostic tool but also a platform for collaborative reform. She reiterated the Bank’s support throughout and beyond the assessment process.
Later that day, the MAPS Steering Committee, chaired by Principal Deputy Financial Secretary Mr. Samuel E.B. Momoh, convened at the Ministry of Finance. Mr. Kamugisha presented the draft findings, confirming that Sierra Leone’s Concept Note had received approval from the MAPS Global Secretariat, validating the legitimacy and quality of the ongoing review.
Preliminary findings identified key challenges including: Weak enforcement of procurement rules, delays in payments to suppliers, limited use of whistleblower protections, gaps in the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, inadequate procurement data systems and poor private sector engagement.
While these issues pose challenges, the assessment also presents strategic opportunities to overhaul systems and improve service delivery. A representative from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) acknowledged existing legal provisions for whistleblower protection but noted their underutilization, emphasizing the need to strengthen public trust in such mechanisms.
Committee members broadly endorsed the findings and reaffirmed institutional support for the reform process. The upcoming stakeholder validation workshop, to be held at Radisson Blu Hotel in Freetown, will bring together government officials, private sector actors, and civil society representatives to discuss and finalize key recommendations.
The MAPS assessment marks a critical milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey toward a more transparent, efficient, and accountable procurement system. With sustained commitment from the government and support from development partners, the country is on track to align its procurement practices with international standardsmadvancing both fiscal discipline and service delivery.