Sierra Leone recently used a high-level United Nations General Assembly side engagement to bring together energy, telecommunications, and trade officials to discuss the infrastructure required to expand its digital economy. The roundtable was led by Communications, Technology and Innovation Minister Salima Monorma Bah and included representatives from the ministries responsible for communications, energy, and trade, as well as private-sector and technology companies.
The roundtable discussion took a holistic approach, examining how electricity supply, data infrastructure, telecommunications networks, 5G deployment, and regional commerce are interconnected. Energy Minister Cyril Grant attended the meeting in person, while Trade and Industry Minister Ibrahim Alpha Sesay participated virtually. Telecommunications companies Africell Sierra Leone and Sierratel were among the participants, along with energy and technology stakeholders.
The involvement of Africell and Sierratel comes months after the government launched a partnership allowing state-owned Sierratel to operate as a mobile virtual network operator using Africell’s network infrastructure. President Julius Maada Bio formally launched the arrangement in May, which the government has described as a public-private partnership rather than a privatisation. Under the model, Sierratel retains its identity while relying on Africell’s existing network infrastructure to provide services.
The UNGA roundtable also included discussions on energy requirements for digital infrastructure, with participants from Africa Climate and Energy Nexus, Aton Path, and AEB. Bell Canada participated in discussions concerning 5G deployment, while the International Data Center Authority took part in discussions on data infrastructure. The emphasis on energy reflects a broader regional investment agenda being developed by Sierra Leone.
The planned West Africa Integration and Investment Summit, scheduled for November 17-18 in Sierra Leone, identifies energy trade, strategic minerals, agribusiness, and digital transformation and connectivity as its four main investment pillars. The summit aims to connect governments, investors, development finance institutions, and businesses around regional investment opportunities.
The digital discussions also follow President Bio’s recent UNGA address, in which he called for stronger African ownership and governance of digital infrastructure. His remarks form part of the government’s wider push to place digital transformation within discussions about economic development and regional integration.
For Sierra Leone, the roundtable placed the telecommunications sector within a broader investment equation, highlighting that expanding digital services requires not only network infrastructure but also dependable energy, data capacity, policy coordination, and access to regional markets. The discussions provide another indication of how the government is seeking to connect its digital transformation agenda with the investment and regional-integration priorities that will feature at the November summit.
Key points
- The government of Sierra Leone is prioritizing digital transformation and regional integration through investment in energy and telecommunications infrastructure.
- A public-private partnership between Sierratel and Africell aims to improve mobile network services in the country.
- The West Africa Integration and Investment Summit will focus on energy trade, strategic minerals, agribusiness, and digital transformation and connectivity.
