By Josephine sesay
The National Revenue Authority (NRA) has welcomed the appointment of Abu Martin Kanneh as its new Commissioner General, with expectations that his extensive experience within the Authority will help strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, taxpayer compliance and overall revenue administration.
Kanneh’s appointment forms part of a series of presidential appointments aimed at strengthening leadership across key public institutions.
His elevation to the position comes at a crucial period when the Government of Sierra Leone continues to place strong emphasis on increasing domestic revenue and reducing the country’s reliance on external financing.
The new Commissioner General brings more than two decades of experience within the NRA. He joined the Authority in 2004 as a Collector and gradually rose through the ranks, serving in various capacities and gaining extensive knowledge of Sierra Leone’s revenue administration system.
Before his appointment as Commissioner General, Kanneh served as Commissioner of the Customs Services Department, where he provided strategic leadership in the administration and collection of customs duties.
In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing customs operations, including border control and management, while also supporting initiatives aimed at facilitating legitimate trade and improving compliance among businesses and importers.
His experience in customs administration is expected to be particularly valuable as the NRA continues to strengthen its systems for revenue collection, border management and enforcement.
Kanneh later served as Senior Director of the Staff Welfare Department, further broadening his experience in institutional management and administration.
His appointment comes as the NRA continues to implement measures aimed at improving domestic revenue mobilisation, expanding the tax base and strengthening taxpayer compliance across the country.
The Authority is also expected to continue improving taxpayer services and making revenue administration more efficient, transparent and accountable.
For businesses and individual taxpayers, greater efficiency in the administration of taxes and customs duties remains an important priority.
Improved engagement between the NRA and taxpayers is also expected to contribute to better compliance and public confidence in the revenue system.
The new leadership will therefore face the challenge of balancing effective revenue collection with taxpayer-friendly services, while ensuring that enforcement measures are applied fairly and transparently.
The NRA plays a central role in Sierra Leone’s economic development, as revenues collected through taxation and customs provide essential resources for financing government programmes and public services.
With Kanneh’s extensive institutional knowledge, expectations are high that he will build on ongoing reforms while introducing further measures to improve revenue performance and strengthen the Authority’s relationship with taxpayers, businesses and other stakeholders.
The Board, Senior Management and staff of the National Revenue Authority have congratulated Abu Martin Kanneh on his appointment and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the institution effectively.
As he assumes responsibility for the country’s principal domestic revenue collection institution, attention will now turn to how the new Commissioner General translates his experience into practical reforms that can improve revenue collection, strengthen compliance and enhance the efficiency of Sierra Leone’s tax and customs administration.
His appointment comes with significant expectations, particularly as Sierra Leone seeks to strengthen its domestic resource base and create a more sustainable system of financing national development.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 24th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
