By Emma Black
On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, a pivotal meeting unfolded at 23 Siaka Stevens Street, where Sankara Media Hub Limited met Musayeroh Barrie, Director-General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA). The result? A groundbreaking media partnership set to spotlight Barrie’s trailblazing tenure and catapult the SLCAA’s mission into the national and global limelight, for Barrie, West Africa’s first female aviation chief, this alliance is another bold move to cement Sierra Leone’s place in the skies.
Musayeroh Barrie’s appointment by President Julius Maada Bio wasn’t just a promotion it was a historic rupture of aviation’s old guard. As the first woman to lead a civil aviation authority in West Africa, she joins a rare global club of just 10 female directors and stands out as the youngest. Her journey to SLCAA’s helm began in the private sector, where she sharpened her expertise before stepping into public service with a fresh, fierce vision.
In two short years, Barrie has turned the SLCAA from a bureaucratic footnote into a Sierra Leonean staple. Once obscure, the agency now hums with purpose under her media-savvy leadership, its core mandate aviation safety and security now a rallying cry, this isn’t about flights alone, she said during the meeting. It’s about trust and opportunity for Sierra Leone.
Barrie’s impact ripples far beyond Freetown. By aligning the SLCAA with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, she’s hoisted Sierra Leone onto the world stage. Bilateral partnerships with countries across Europe, Asia, and beyond have followed, eager to swap best practices and study her playbook. We’re not just keeping pace we’re setting it; she told Sankara’s team, her eyes on a legacy of innovation.
Her reforms safer airports, tighter regulations, a sharper public image are paying dividends. Lungi International’s upgrades alone signal a nation ready to welcome the world. Barrie’s global stature grows with each move, her youth and gender smashing stereotypes in a field long ruled by older men.
Sankara Media Hub Limited saw a story too big to miss. Their April 9 meeting sealed a deal to amplify Barrie’s work through documentaries, profiles, and public campaigns. She’s a pioneer breaking melds, said Sankara’s CEO, pitching the vision. We’ll make sure every Sierra Leonean knows her name and her mission.
For Barrie, the timing aligns perfectly with her goals boosting tourism and luring foreign investment. Safe skies aren’t just technical they’re a magnet, she explained. A strong aviation image draws visitors and dollars. Sankara’s reach will turn policy wins into people’s pride, bridging the gap between her office and the streets.
The Siaka Stevens Street session buzzed with possibility. Barrie sketched plans enhanced security, smoother operations while Sankara vowed to craft narratives that stick. Together, they’re poised to redefine how Sierra Leoneans see aviation: not as a distant system, but as a national asset.
Locally, Barrie’s a symbol proof Sierra Leonean women can command any stage. Globally, she’s a prodigy rewriting the rules. This isn’t my story it’s ours, she said, her smile steady. As this partnership takes wing, Sierra Leone’s aviation horizon gleams brighter, louder, and prouder, with Barrie at the controls and Sankara amplifying her ascent, the sky’s not the ceiling it’s the runway to tomorrow.