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Sierra Leone’s Director General of the National Communications Authority (NatCA), Amara Brewah, has emerged as a leading voice in Africa’s digital transformation, delivering a landmark keynote at the Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25) in Kigali. His address, themed “Empowering Africa Through Inclusive Spectrum Policies,” placed connectivity and inclusion at the heart of Africa’s development agenda.
Brewah challenged traditional development models, asserting that Africa’s future will be shaped not by natural resources but by digital access. “Spectrum may be invisible,” he said, “but its impact is everywhere. It powers our phones, our radios, our emergency services, our schools, our hospitals and our economies.”
The NatCA Director General unveiled a bold framework for spectrum reform, urging African governments to treat spectrum as a developmental resource rather than a revenue stream. His four-pillar strategy includes:
- Transparent licensing systems to attract investment
- Fair and flexible pricing to expand rural coverage
- Coverage-based incentives over revenue-focused models
- Innovation-friendly policies to empower small and community-based operators
“Every connected village means hope restored,” Brewah declared, emphasizing that digital inclusion is both a moral and economic imperative.
Drawing from Sierra Leone’s experience, Brewah shared compelling stories of transformation: a farmer in Kambia accessing market prices online, a nurse consulting doctors remotely, and students attending virtual classes from rural areas. He spotlighted Aminata, a young girl who now studies online thanks to improved connectivity, saying, “It’s not about megahertz; it’s about hope. Hope made visible through connectivity.”
Under Brewah’s leadership, NatCA has modernized its spectrum management, revised fees to attract investment, and strengthened ties with regional and global bodies including WATRA, ATU, and ITU. Sierra Leone’s adoption of Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) frameworks has extended coverage to remote communities, narrowing the digital divide.
In closing, Brewah urged African leaders to Publish or update national connectivity roadmaps, Reform spectrum pricing and licensing to prioritize rural access, Promote innovation through community networks and satellite technologies
“Spectrum is not just a technical asset,” he said. “It is a human resource that carries the voices of our people, the ideas of our youth and the dreams of our future.”
His keynote was hailed as one of the most visionary presentations at MWC25, reinforcing Sierra Leone’s growing reputation as a regional leader in digital transformation.
“Because when Africa is connected,” Brewah concluded to loud applause, “Africa is unstoppable.”
