By Lemuella Tarawallie
The Parliamentary Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation has taken a deliberate step toward strengthening Sierra Leone’s digital landscape by convening a stakeholders’ engagement on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, at the Atlantic Beach Hotel.
The engagement, held under the theme “Forging an Inclusive Digital Future: Ensuring Access, Quality of Service, and Affordability in Sierra Leone’s Communications Ecosystem,” brought together key actors in the telecommunications sector to reflect on progress, examine challenges, and shape the way forward.
Opening the session, Director Sheku Lamin Turay, who served as Master of Ceremonies, described the forum as both timely and purposeful. He commended the leadership of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Communications and Innovation and encouraged participants to engage meaningfully, noting that the engagement comes at an important time for the country and is intended to improve mobile network operations. He urged Sierra Leoneans to contribute constructively toward enhancing services nationwide.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Boston Munda, emphasized that the engagement aligns with Parliament’s oversight responsibility and its commitment to citizens. He stated that the goal is to improve efficient service delivery, with a focus on quality mobile network services and strong consumer protection.
He concluded that the engagement fulfills the Committee’s oversight mandate in advancing the digital agenda and wished participants productive deliberations.
The Majority Leader of Parliament and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Nyuma, acknowledged the efforts of mobile network operators, particularly their decision not to increase tariffs despite global economic pressures linked to international conflicts.
“That is a commendable step in consideration of our citizens,” he said.
He encouraged a shift toward more solution-oriented dialogue, noting that the country must move beyond data presentations toward practical and implementable solutions. He further urged that the outcomes of the engagement be formally presented before Parliament.
Reaffirming Parliament’s role, Hon. Nyuma stated that Parliament remains the hub for consumer protection and assured stakeholders that existing policies would be strengthened where necessary. He also reiterated government’s willingness to collaborate with mobile network operators, especially as the country embraces emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Madam Salima M. Bah, described the engagement as a valuable opportunity to address challenges in the sector. She noted that it provides a real platform to examine issues affecting service delivery, particularly within mobile network operations.
She highlighted progress in infrastructure development, stating that the fibre backbone has been expanded to 14 out of 16 districts, with metro services also improving significantly.
She further disclosed ongoing discussions with the World Bank on a project worth over 50 million dollars to secure a second fibre backbone landing, extending connectivity to Guinea and Liberia.
Minister Bah acknowledged existing gaps, noting that challenges remain between network coverage and utilization, while affordability and service availability continue to be concerns, alongside global price pressures.
With about 3.4 million subscribers currently, she expressed optimism that the number would increase to 6 million by 2028.
She also called for targeted reforms, including measures to address vandalism of fibre infrastructure and stronger promotion of shared facilities among operators. “Encouraging co-location will help reduce costs and improve efficiency,” she noted, while emphasizing the need to sustain competition within the sector.
Delivering the keynote address, the Clerk of Parliament, Karmoh K. Conteh, highlighted the importance of accountability in service delivery. He noted that oversight responsibility goes beyond requesting status reports and includes ensuring that service providers deliver quality services and meet their obligations, including tax payments.
While acknowledging that mobile network operators are profit-driven, he raised concerns about whether they are meeting citizens’ expectations in service delivery.
He commended progress made so far and assured continued institutional support, stating that his office will support committees committed to effective oversight. He urged the Committee to strengthen its monitoring role to ensure improved outcomes for citizens.
Other stakeholders also contributed to the discussions, expressing optimism and offering practical suggestions aimed at improving service delivery, addressing affordability concerns, and sustaining growth in the sector.
