The National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) has held a high-level meeting with a delegation from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to explore new areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s public procurement system.
The IsDB delegation was led by Madam Nathalie Gebrayel, Global Lead Procurement Officer and Head of Delegation.
Speaking during the meeting, NPPA Chief Executive Officer, Chief Fodie J. Konneh, highlighted the long-standing partnership between the two institutions and expressed appreciation for IsDB’s continued support to Sierra Leone’s procurement reform efforts.
Chief Konneh stressed the importance of strengthening the country’s procurement system to promote transparency, improve efficiency and ensure value for money in public spending.
Discussions focused on ongoing reforms, particularly the digitalization of public procurement through the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, as well as efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and professionalize the procurement sector.
The meeting also explored areas where IsDB support could complement recommendations from the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) assessment and the NPPA’s Strategic Action Plan.
Key areas identified included digital procurement and open data, institutional capacity development, increased participation of the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), payment and commitment controls, transparency and anti-corruption measures, as well as sustainable and inclusive procurement.
The IsDB delegation commended Sierra Leone for the progress made in advancing its public procurement reform agenda and reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with the NPPA.
The engagement reflects the shared commitment of the NPPA and its development partners to building a modern, transparent, efficient and accountable public procurement system capable of supporting effective service delivery and national development.