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The Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Dr Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, has revealed that the Government of Sierra Leone failed to properly review the contract signed with Chinese construction company Gansu Construction Investment Holding Group for the renovation of the National Stadium in Freetown.
He said the contract did not include the installation of seats, an important part of modern stadium standards. The issue was only discovered after most of the work had already been done.
Abdulai explained that when the Chinese company offered to renovate the stadium, government officials quickly agreed and signed the contract without reviewing it in detail. The seating clause was completely left out. Later, as the project neared completion, it became clear that the stadium could not be used for matches because it had no fixed seats.
He said this is part of a wider problem he has observed in how contracts are handled. During his time working with the World Bank, he saw how teams from South America and Asia would take contracts back to their hotels, read them carefully, and return the next day with corrections or concerns. In contrast, he said, African representatives often sign contracts immediately, without fully reading them, something he understands as a common practice but said can cause serious issues.
He noted that under current FIFA and CAF rules, matches cannot be held in stadiums without fixed seats. These are individual seats that are permanently attached to the structure, not just open concrete stands. They help control crowd size, improve safety, and allow proper ticketing. Without them, matches are not approved due to the risk of overcrowding or stampedes.
After realizing the mistake, the government had to return to the Chinese company to renegotiate the deal. That process took around six months. However, the problem didn’t stop there. The old concrete slab built in 1979 was not strong enough to hold new stadium seats. As a result, the slab had to be removed and rebuilt to make the structure safe.
Because of these issues, the project has been delayed for years. According to the NSA, around 70 to 75 percent of the work is now complete, but the seating delay has been a major setback.
Some parts of the stadium are nearly finished. The practice pitch has been completed. The tennis and basketball courts are ready. The swimming pool is almost complete, and the hostel rooms are being furnished.
The delay has also affected football in Sierra Leone. The national team, the Leone Stars, has not played at home since the renovation began. All home matches have been held outside the country, creating extra challenges for the team and fans.
Work is still ongoing, and no official date has been given for when the stadium will be fully ready.
