The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI) has strengthened its partnership with the United Nations in Sierra Leone as part of ongoing efforts to accelerate digital transformation, improve data governance and enhance the country’s digital infrastructure.
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Madam Salima Bah, met with representatives of the United Nations system in Sierra Leone, including UN Resident Coordinator, Seraphine Wakana and officials from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), for discussions centred on data governance, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.
The engagement focused particularly on addressing the fragmentation of Government data across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, while strengthening institutional capacity for effective data management and cybersecurity.
As part of the engagement, Minister Salima Bah and her team took the UN delegation on a tour of the Government Data Centre at the National Communications Authority (NatCA) Tower, highlighting the Government’s investment in building a more secure and coordinated digital ecosystem.
The Ministry also outlined plans to establish a redundancy site at State House to strengthen the resilience and continuity of critical Government digital services and infrastructure.
Central to the Government’s digital transformation agenda is the development of a comprehensive Data Governance Framework that will provide clear guidelines on how Government data is classified, managed, shared and utilized across public institutions.
The framework is expected to address existing gaps in data management while promoting greater coordination and responsible information-sharing among Government institutions.
Under Minister Salima Bah’s leadership, MoCTI has continued to advance initiatives aimed at modernizing Sierra Leone’s digital landscape. These include the establishment and strengthening of the Government Data Centre, advancement of the Digital Government Bill and efforts to equip civil servants with essential skills in emerging technologies.
The Ministry considers capacity building an important component of the transformation process, particularly as new technologies increasingly influence public administration, service delivery and national development.
Strengthening the digital capabilities of civil servants is expected to enable Government institutions to make better use of technology and data in planning, decision-making and the delivery of essential services to citizens.
The engagement with the UN further underscores the importance of partnerships in supporting Sierra Leone’s transition towards a more integrated, secure and data-driven Government.
Through improved data governance, stronger cybersecurity systems and modern digital infrastructure, the Government aims to create an environment in which public institutions can use reliable information more effectively to formulate policies, allocate resources and improve service delivery.
The Ministry maintains that those interventions will ultimately contribute to a more efficient and responsive public sector, while positioning Sierra Leone to take greater advantage of opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving global digital economy.
The strengthened collaboration between MoCTI and the United Nations is therefore expected to provide additional technical and institutional support as Sierra Leone advances its broader digital transformation agenda.
