By Thaimu T Kamara

The Government of Sierra Leone has convened a two-day national consultative workshop aimed at developing a comprehensive roadmap to combat mobile money fraud and strengthen security across the country’s growing digital financial ecosystem.

The workshop, which runs from August 18 to 19 at the National Communications Authority (NatCA) Building at South Ridge, IMATT, is being organised by the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation in partnership with the National Communications Authority.

The initiative brings together key stakeholders from the financial, telecommunications, security, regulatory and technology sectors to develop coordinated measures for preventing, detecting and responding to mobile money fraud and other forms of cybercrime.

Opening the workshop, government officials stressed the importance of strengthening collaboration among institutions as the use of mobile financial services continues to expand across Sierra Leone.

Representatives from the Financial Intelligence Agency, Parliamentary Committee on Information and Communication Technology, Bank of Sierra Leone, National Communications Authority, Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center are participating in the discussions.

Other stakeholders include the National Civil Registration Authority, mobile money operators, telecommunications companies, civil society organisations, government agencies and private-sector representatives.

The broad participation is expected to ensure that the proposed roadmap reflects the concerns and responsibilities of regulators, financial institutions, telecommunications operators, law enforcement agencies, technology institutions and consumers.

The workshop forms part of government’s wider efforts to strengthen the security of Sierra Leone’s digital public infrastructure and protect citizens who increasingly depend on electronic financial services.

Mobile money has become an important part of everyday economic activity in Sierra Leone, providing citizens with convenient access to payments, savings, remittances and other financial transactions. However, the growing reliance on digital platforms has also created opportunities for fraudsters and cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses in the system.

The government therefore considers a coordinated national response necessary to protect users and strengthen confidence in mobile financial services.

The consultative meeting also fulfils commitments made by government to Parliament concerning the security of digital financial infrastructure.

Earlier this month, following parliamentary discussions on digital public infrastructure and interoperable digital identity systems, the government committed to bringing relevant stakeholders together to develop stronger mechanisms for fraud prevention, detection and response

The two-day engagement is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to identify major challenges associated with mobile money fraud and examine gaps in existing systems.

Participants are also expected to discuss information sharing, consumer protection, regulatory coordination, cybersecurity measures and mechanisms for responding quickly to reported cases of fraud.

A major objective is to develop a national roadmap that clearly defines the roles of relevant institutions and establishes practical measures for reducing fraud across the mobile financial services sector.

The roadmap is expected to serve as a blueprint for protecting ordinary Sierra Leoneans who use mobile money platforms for daily transactions.

With increasing numbers of citizens using mobile money to send and receive funds, pay bills, save money and conduct business, stakeholders say stronger safeguards are needed to protect users from financial losses and cyber-enabled crime.

The involvement of the Bank of Sierra Leone and the financial sector is expected to strengthen the connection between financial regulation and telecommunications security, while the participation of cybersecurity and law enforcement institutions will help address the criminal dimensions of mobile money fraud.

Civil society and private-sector participation is also expected to contribute to discussions on consumer awareness, responsible use of digital financial services and improved reporting mechanisms.

The workshop comes at a time when Sierra Leone is expanding its digital transformation agenda, making the protection of digital systems increasingly important to national development.

Stakeholders are expected to use the consultations to develop practical recommendations that can be translated into policies and coordinated actions.

The government has emphasised that combating mobile money fraud cannot be left to a single institution. Effective prevention requires cooperation among regulators, telecommunications companies, financial institutions, security agencies, technology providers and citizens.

At the end of the two-day consultation, stakeholders are expected to have laid the foundation for a comprehensive national roadmap that will guide government and industry efforts to strengthen the security of mobile financial services.

The initiative is ultimately aimed at creating a safer digital financial environment, protecting consumers and ensuring that Sierra Leone’s continued digital transformation delivers greater benefits without exposing citizens to increased risks of fraud and cybercrime.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 26th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)