The National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA), in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the ECOWAS Commission and the Government of Sierra Leone, has concluded a two-day national workshop aimed at advancing the implementation of cleaner fuel and vehicle standards in the country.
The workshop, held from 3rd to 4th August 2026 at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel in Freetown, brought together representatives from government ministries, departments and agencies, international organisations, the petroleum industry, civil society and the media.
Organised under the theme, “National Workshop on Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles,” the engagement focused on aligning Sierra Leone with ECOWAS directives C/DIR.1/9/2020 and C/DIR.2/9/2020 on cleaner fuels and vehicles.
The initiative is expected to support the use of higher-quality petroleum products and cleaner vehicles while reducing harmful emissions, protecting public health and strengthening environmental safeguards.
Participants also discussed the role of cleaner fuel standards in promoting regional energy security and expanding cross-border trade through a more integrated and sustainable West African hydrocarbon market.
Addressing the workshop, the Director-General of NPRA, Brima Baluwa Koroma, described pollution from vehicle emissions and the high sulphur content of fuel as major environmental and public-health challenges confronting the world, particularly the ECOWAS region.
He said Sierra Leone must continue working with regional and international partners to address the harmful effects of vehicle emissions and poor-quality petroleum products.
Koroma expressed appreciation for the broad participation in the workshop, noting that the presence of delegates from UNEP, ECOWAS, government institutions, industry, civil society and the media demonstrated the importance of collective action.
“We are particularly excited to receive delegates from UNEP, ECOWAS, ministries, departments and agencies, industry actors, the media and civil society organisations,” he stated.
According to him, the diversity of participants provided an opportunity for meaningful multisectoral engagement capable of producing lasting reforms and supporting the implementation of the landmark ECOWAS directives.
The NPRA Director-General said the Authority had taken proactive measures since 2020 to prepare Sierra Leone’s petroleum sector for cleaner fuel standards, including the adoption of a 10-parts-per-million sulphur specification for petroleum products.
He maintained that this level of policy preparedness would help make Sierra Leone’s transition towards cleaner fuel standards smoother as implementation progresses across the ECOWAS region.
Koroma also stressed that climate change and environmental pollution transcend national boundaries and therefore require coordinated international and regional responses.
“Climate issues have no sovereignty; they are universal. The implementation of ECOWAS cleaner fuel and vehicle standards will inevitably promote cleaner transportation, environmental protection and regional energy security,” he said.
The workshop concluded with renewed commitments from stakeholders to support the transition towards cleaner fuels and vehicles and strengthen cooperation in implementing the ECOWAS directives.
The engagement formed part of NPRA’s broader efforts to modernise Sierra Leone’s downstream petroleum sector while ensuring that fuel-quality regulations contribute to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.
