By Mohamed Kamara

Sierra Leone’s state-owned telecommunications company, Sierratel, has been given a new lease of life following a landmark revival partnership with Africell — launched on Tuesday, 5th May 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown by President Retired Brigadier Dr. Julius Maada Bio.

The momentous occasion marked the end of years of institutional decline for Sierratel, which had accumulated over $35 million in external debts and a crippling backlog of unpaid staff salaries. “Sierratel has suffered far too long,” President Bio declared at the launch, underscoring the urgency and significance of the partnership. He affirmed that connectivity is central to Sierra Leone’s development in this era of innovation, and pledged that young Sierra Leoneans across the country would be the direct beneficiaries of expanded network reach.

Under the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model agreed upon, Africell will provide the full network infrastructure and technology, with no capital investment required from the Government. Africell Chief Executive Officer, Shadi Gerjawi, confirmed that Sierratel subscribers will have immediate access to voice, data and mobile money services from day one. Gerjawi also announced that Africell will advance part of Sierratel’s salary and benefits liability, providing relief to long-suffering employees.

“Sierra Leoneans can once again say with pride: our national network is back,” Gerjawi declared, noting that the partnership fulfils a commitment Africell made to the people of Sierra Leone over two decades ago.

The Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Madam Salima Manorma Bah, stressed that the Government’s deliberate choice was to revive Sierratel — not privatise it — reflecting a policy commitment to retaining national ownership while attracting private sector efficiency.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swarry — who previously served as Minister of Information — disclosed that he inherited the same $35 million debt burden in both ministerial roles, making the launch all the more timely and welcome.

The National Commission for Privatization (NCP) Commissioner, Dr. Alex Prince Harding, praised the partnership and affirmed that the NCP — established under the 2002 Act to reform and supervise public enterprises — will actively monitor implementation to ensure its objectives are achieved.

The Sierratel-Africell revival is being hailed as a defining moment in Sierra Leone’s drive towards universal connectivity, with the promise of bringing reliable telecommunications services to every corner of the country.

Credit Intern Newspaper

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 11th May 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)