By Mariama Bundu
Africell Sierra Leone, the National Revenue Authority (NRA), the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA) and the National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA) have pledged support for the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) as efforts continue to secure sustainable funding for the national broadcaster.
The commitment was made on Thursday, October 8, 2026, during the final panel discussions at the National Conference on Sustainable Funding for Public Broadcasting, organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) and SLBC at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown.
Representing Africell, Abdul Karim Sesay reaffirmed the telecommunications company’s commitment to supporting SLBC. He said Africell had already contributed to improving the corporation’s facilities through studio branding, connectivity and power supply, adding that further assistance would be considered based on its additional needs.
Deputy Commissioner General of the NRA, Edmond Nonie, highlighted SLBC’s role in educating citizens about taxation and how government revenue supports national development.
He said the NRA possessed revenue data that could help inform decisions on public broadcasting financing, including information on revenue generated from telecommunications, equipment imports and digital broadcasting services.
Meanwhile, Director-General of the NPRA, Baluwa Koroma, expressed support for SLBC’s operational and financial autonomy. He commended the Minister of Information and Civic Education for efforts to improve the corporation and reaffirmed the authority’s willingness to support initiatives aimed at strengthening its operations.
A representative of NaTCA also pledged continued collaboration with the ministry and SLBC, stressing the importance of cooperation among institutions in addressing challenges facing the broadcasting sector.
The pledges come as SLBC seeks a predictable and sustainable funding mechanism to address challenges including ageing broadcasting equipment, high operational costs, declining commercial revenue and the need to modernise its digital infrastructure.
The conference brought together key stakeholders to explore funding options and strengthen support for the long-term sustainability of public broadcasting in Sierra Leone.
