Sierra Leone has achieved near-universal digital connectivity, with mobile data prices dropping dramatically and internet penetration doubling, according to an announcement by Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh. The progress is attributed to a national “radical inclusion strategy” aimed at using technology to bridge, rather than widen, inequality.

The achievements follow a concerted push to digitize the nation’s infrastructure since 2018, which included the establishment of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and, later, the formation of the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI) in 2023.

“The impact on our country has been profound,” stated Sengeh, who was appointed as Africa’s first national Chief Innovation Officer in 2018. “We committed to ensuring that technology would be a bridge to our inequality, not widen it. People with special needs, youth, women – literally everyone is accounted for.”

The Chief Minister shared that between 2018 and 2024, Sierra Leone has hit or surpassed several major connectivity goals outlined in the Medium Term National Development Plan. Mobile coverage now reaches over 96% for 3G and over 85% for 4G, while satellite internet covers the entire country.

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Mobile data prices in USD have dropped by more than half, and broadband and internet penetration have doubled since 2018. Mobile and mobile broadband subscriptions have grown by 2 million, and the rise of mobile money has doubled financial inclusion.

Sengeh noted that these figures meet and surpass the ambitious targets set in the national plan, including the goal to increase internet users by 60% and achieve an internet penetration rate of at least 50% by 2039.

According to the Chief Minister, the digital expansion is designed to ensure that “no one is left behind,” focusing on groups such as people with special needs, youth, and women.

“For the market women in the farthest part of Sierra Leone, it means they can now access information about prices and also sell goods,” explained Sengeh. “For our grandparents in the villages, it means they can speak to their children overseas and directly get remittances sent to their phones.”

The infrastructure progress is also enabling advancements in digital health and education, allowing workers in remote areas to access life-saving information and children nationwide to utilize better learning materials.

The government attributes this success to a stable policy environment, including the establishment of a 10-year National Innovation Plan and the transformation of the telecoms regulator.