By Foday Moriba Conteh
Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Salima Bah, has outlined a comprehensive plan to address the recent internet outages that have disrupted connectivity across Sierra Leone. Speaking at the Government’s weekly Press Briefing, the Minister emphasized both short-term and long-term strategies designed to ensure reliable internet access for all citizens, reflecting the Government’s commitment to treating internet connectivity as a fundamental right.
Driven by President Julius Maada Bio’s vision of universal internet access, Salima Bah expressed the urgency of the issue. “The President considers internet and mobile service as a basic human right, so we are all taking it very seriously,” she stated, underscoring the administration’s dedication to improving the country’s digital infrastructure.
The Press Briefing, moderated by Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, echoed these sentiments, with a strong emphasis on the critical role of the internet in daily life. “Internet is part of our daily existence; it is our bread and butter. If the internet shuts down, everybody will know because of how much we rely on it,” said the Minister of Information, highlighting the far-reaching impact of internet disruptions.
Sierra Leone has recently experienced internet outages on both national and international scales. However, the Communications Minister reassured the public that significant investments in the country’s internet infrastructure have positioned Sierra Leone to respond effectively to these challenges. “Significant investment has gone into the infrastructure both by the Government and the private sector,” she noted, adding that in comparison to neighboring Liberia, which experienced a week-long outage, Sierra Leone was only offline for 45 minutes during the recent disruption.
To prevent future outages, Salima Bah revealed that the Government has already initiated discussions with Guinea to establish an “Emergency Bandwidth” connection. “Over the weekend, I led a delegation of sector players to Guinea. We want to create an interconnection with them so if we are down, we can get some bandwidth from them, and vice versa,” she explained. The Minister highlighted Guinea’s strategic importance due to its multiple international borders, which offer additional connectivity options.
Currently, Sierra Leone relies heavily on the ACE submarine cable, which connects multiple countries along the West African coast to Europe and South Africa. This critical infrastructure supports more than 455 million people but is increasingly vulnerable due to its age and the risks of accidental or intentional damage.
Mamoud Idris, Executive Director of Zoodlabs, acknowledged the challenges posed by the ageing cable, which was installed in 2012. “This cable is getting old… the risk of the cable cutting is increasing,” he warned.
In addition to the short-term measures, Minister Salima Bah outlined the Government’s long-term strategy to secure Sierra Leone’s digital future. “Ultimately, for true protection and to limit our vulnerability, we need two cables at any given time,” she said. She further announced that the private sector is forming a consortium to explore the Meta 2 Africa cable, while the Government is collaborating with ECOWAS on a program to support countries with only one undersea internet cable.
The Minister’s proactive approach highlights the Government’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted internet access, recognizing its crucial role in the nation’s economic and social development.
