By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Government of Sierra Leone has formalized a $50 million agreement with the China National Technical Import & Export Corporation for the SMART Sierra Leone Project. The contract was signed on September 3, 2024, during the FOCAC Summit in Beijing, signaling a major advancement in Sierra Leone’s digital infrastructure.
The agreement was finalized on the sidelines of the summit, underscoring the project’s significance in the nation’s ongoing digital transformation. President Julius Maada Bio, who attended the ceremony, outlined the SMART Sierra Leone Project’s key goals. These include expanding internet access to over 400,000 previously underserved residents, creating national data centers to safeguard sovereign data and bolstering security around critical infrastructure in Freetown.
In a related development, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Salima Monorma Bah, also signed an agreement with Huawei Group for a Digital Village Project. This initiative, set to be launched in Tormabum, aims to provide essential online resources to farmers and local communities, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity and broadening market access.
President Bio expressed his enthusiasm for the agreements, stating, “It is a pleasure to be here this evening to witness the signing of two pivotal projects in our digital transformation efforts. The introduction of the SMART Sierra Leone and Digital Village Projects highlights our commitment to advancing technology and infrastructure as central elements of our Big Five Agenda. This partnership with the People’s Republic of China marks a significant milestone in our development journey.”
