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The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) hosted a delegation of student officers from the National Defence College of Nigeria on a study visit aimed at examining the contribution of Sierra Leone’s extractive industry to national development.
The engagement took place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Ministry’s Conference Hall at Tower Hill in Freetown. The visit formed part of the College’s regional study tour designed to expose participants to governance systems, economic policy frameworks, and strategic development issues across African countries.
Speaking during the meeting, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Usman Cherry Conteh, expressed appreciation to the visiting team for selecting the Ministry as one of the key institutions relevant to their research topic, “Extractive Industry and National Development in Sierra Leone: Lessons for Nigeria.”
He noted that the visit provided an important opportunity for knowledge sharing and the strengthening of collaboration between Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the areas of development planning and natural resource governance.
The delegation was led by Air Commodore E.O. Oluokun, Team Leader from the Nigerian National Defence College. In his remarks, he explained that the College, established in 1992, provides strategic-level training for senior military officers and selected civilian officials from various ministries, departments, and agencies.
According to him, the regional study tour enables participants to gain a deeper understanding of the strategic, political, and economic environments of partner countries while drawing lessons that can inform policy development and national planning.
