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Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh has reflected on the country’s remarkable progress in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and innovation, noting that Sierra Leone has undergone a profound generational shift in technological capacity and opportunity.
Speaking on the evolution of the nation’s innovation landscape, Dr. Sengeh recalled that when President Julius Maada Bio appointed him as Chief Innovation Officer in 2018, terms such as “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and “artificial intelligence” were familiar only to a small, privileged group. At the time, he noted, national understanding and participation in advanced technology were extremely limited.
“Today, because we followed President Bio’s leadership and remained committed to the National Development Plan, Sierra Leone is witnessing a new wave of young innovators shaping the future,” he said.
According to Dr. Sengeh, the country now boasts multiple teams of young engineers, creators, and problem-solvers actively working on AI and robotics projects. These teams are mentored by a growing pool of experienced coaches, many of whom are alumni of initiatives he helped build over the past decade.
“The coaches guiding these emerging talents are graduates of Innovate Salone, which I mentored ten years ago, former students from my university classes, and dedicated staff members of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI),” he explained.
He emphasized that this intergenerational chain of mentorship and knowledge transfer is a clear indicator of progress, demonstrating how early investments in innovation have transformed into nationwide capacity-building.
Dr. Sengeh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining this momentum, ensuring that Sierra Leone continues to position itself as a competitive player in the global technology arena.
