The Parliament of Sierra Leone, through its Parliamentary Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, hosted the 2026 Stakeholders’ Engagement at the Atlantic Beach Hotel to advance the country’s digital transformation agenda.
The event brought together key actors in Sierra Leone’s communications and technology sector under the theme: “Forging an Inclusive Digital Future: Ensuring Access, Quality of Service, and Affordability in Sierra Leone’s Communications Ecosystem.”
The Master of Ceremonies, Director Sheku Lamin Turay, welcomed participants and commended the leadership of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications, describing the engagement as timely and important for improving mobile network services in the country. He encouraged stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to discussions aimed at enhancing service delivery nationwide.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Boston Munda, expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for their participation. He stated that the engagement was aimed at improving efficient delivery service for citizens and strengthening consumer protection.
He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to ensuring quality telecommunications services and noted that the engagement fulfilled Parliament’s oversight responsibility in advancing Sierra Leone’s digital transformation agenda. He encouraged productive deliberations that would yield practical solutions.
The Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Matthew Nyuma, commended mobile network operators (MNOs) for maintaining stable tariffs despite global economic pressures, including rising costs linked to international conflicts.
He urged the Committee to submit a comprehensive report to Parliament for timely action and noted that the outcomes of the engagement would inform future policy and legislative reforms. He also highlighted improvements in service delivery over the years, including expansion of fibre optic services and increased attention to consumer protection.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to safeguarding consumers, strengthening outdated policies where necessary, and working closely with stakeholders to improve service quality. He further called for practical, solution-oriented proposals rather than only data presentations, and emphasized Parliament’s readiness to support the growth of communications technology, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Salima M. Bah, described the engagement as a key opportunity to address challenges in mobile network operations and service delivery.
She highlighted significant progress, particularly in infrastructure development, noting that the national fibre optic backbone now covers 14 of the country’s 16 districts. She also stated that metro services have expanded considerably.
The Minister further revealed that the Government is engaging the World Bank on a project valued at over $50 million to establish a second fibre optic landing station, which would extend connectivity to Guinea and Liberia.
She commended Sierra Leone’s four mobile network operators for their performance and encouraged continued competition to avoid monopoly. However, she also highlighted ongoing challenges, including gaps in network coverage and usage, affordability concerns, and high global pricing pressures.
She called for additional reforms, including stronger protection of fibre infrastructure through penalties for vandalism, and urged the National Communications Authority (NaTCA) to promote infrastructure sharing among operators. She expressed optimism that mobile subscriptions could grow from 3.4 million to 6 million by 2028.
The Clerk of Parliament, Karmoh K. Conteh, commended the Committee for convening the engagement and for consistently submitting oversight reports.
He emphasized that Parliament’s oversight function extends beyond receiving reports from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and stressed the need to ensure that service providers meet both regulatory and tax obligations while delivering quality services to citizens.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to legal and effective oversight and encouraged stronger collaboration between his office and parliamentary committees to enhance accountability in delivery service.
Other stakeholders in the telecommunications sector also made presentations, expressing optimism about continued progress. They proposed innovative and practical solutions to address existing challenges and improve efficiency, affordability, and service quality in the sector.