By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Nigeria and Sierra Leone have taken a major step toward building a harmonized and resilient regional digital future following a high-level bilateral mission on digital cooperation held in Freetown from 21–22 November 2025. The two-day Nigeria–Sierra Leone Digital Economy Bilateral Mission brought together Ministers, senior officials, regulators, private-sector leaders, innovators, founders, investors and development partners to deepen collaboration in digital transformation, interoperability, Artificial Intelligence, digital trade, connectivity and youth skills.
The engagement, jointly convened by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, created a structured platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and the development of practical cross-border digital cooperation pathways. Both nations reiterated their commitment to building a connected West African digital corridor anchored on shared innovation, digital payments integration and talent mobility.
The Mission opened with brief statements from key Sierra Leonean officials, including Stevenson Kamanda, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communication Technology and Innovation; David Colin Ogoo, Founder of the Christex Foundation; Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, Executive Director of the National Investment Board; and Hon. Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry. Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, joined host Minister, Salima Monorma Bah, to outline a unified vision for stronger institutions, scalable digital public infrastructure and expanded opportunities for citizens and businesses across both economies.
Both Ministers later engaged in a live interview on African Young Voices Television, where they underscored the importance of coordination in digital identity, payments systems, data governance and innovation development.
A major highlight of Day 1 was a tour of Sierra Leone’s leading innovation hubs, including the Orange Digital Center, SkillsBridge, Vult (Metro Cable Group) and Creative Hub Africa. The visits showcased ongoing efforts in digital training, startup incubation, youth skills development, merchant payments and the creative economy. The day concluded with the signing of the Nigeria–Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Cooperation Framework, establishing clear mechanisms for joint work on Digital Public Infrastructure, policy harmonization, startup development, digital trade and AI talent exchange under Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme.
Day 2 of the Mission featured in-depth technical sessions covering four thematic areas: Digital Trade and Cross-Border Payments; AI Localization, Data and Emerging Technologies; Digital Public Infrastructure and Connectivity; and Innovation Ecosystems, Startup Policy and Youth Talent. Delegates discussed interoperable financial systems, shared datasets, cross-border fibre connectivity, GovCloud interoperability, joint accelerators, investor–startup linkages and collaborative youth programmes.
Two additional technical partnerships were formalized to accelerate implementation. The first brings together NITDA (Nigeria), DSTI (Sierra Leone), Miden (Nigeria) and Monime (Sierra Leone) to advance a Nigeria–Sierra Leone payment corridor, digital identity alignment, card-issuing readiness and broader fintech integration. The second strengthens AI research and model localization through collaboration between NITDA, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Awarri (Nigeria) and the Christex Foundation.
Nigeria’s delegation included representatives from NITDA, the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Galaxy Backbone, NigComSat, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation and private sector institutions such as Flutterwave, CcHUB, Awarri, Miden, Cybervergent, Wakanow and IHS Towers. Sierra Leone’s innovation ecosystem was represented by organisations including Christex Foundation, Smart Systems SL Ltd, Monime Limited, SkillsBridge, Ezeepay SL, Send Me, Mocha, Vult, SafulPay, The Community, SALPOST, Big Bang World Incorporation, Kamara Yokie Innovation Center, Meraki Analytics, Startup Bodyshop and Creative Hub Africa.
The bilateral mission delivered strategic outcomes for both countries. For Sierra Leone, it promises faster deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure, improved AI governance, stronger financial interoperability with Nigeria and expanded pathways for startups and investors. For Nigeria, it provides market entry into the Mano River Union, stronger regional influence in digital policy, new testing environments for Nigerian innovations and alignment with ECOWAS digital priorities. Shared outcomes include a roadmap for cross-border payment interoperability, a harmonized cybersecurity and AI governance approach, an ECOWAS-aligned digital trade framework and a unified youth talent pipeline.
Both Governments agreed to establish a Nigeria–Sierra Leone Digital Cooperation Working Group; adopt a 30–90–365 Day Action Plan focusing on quick wins in payments, data exchange and talent development; and publish a Joint Annual Digital Cooperation Report.
The Mission concluded with a strong commitment by both countries to sustained collaboration, underscoring the role of digital transformation in economic resilience, innovation, youth empowerment and inclusive growth. Together, Nigeria and Sierra Leone have charted a long-term partnership aimed at shaping an integrated, interoperable and future-ready digital ecosystem for West Africa.
