World Bank Delegation Assesses Sierra Leone’s Land Title Registration Pilot in Port Loko
Sia Lucy Kannah As Sierra Leone moves steadily toward introducing a modern land title registration system, a visiting delegation from the World Bank visited Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, Port Loko District, conducting an Implementation Support Mission for the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project (SLLAP).
The mission forms a crucial part of the World Bank’s ongoing partnership with the government to overhaul land governance, modernize administrative frameworks, and streamline land-related public services nationwide.
At the center of these efforts is the National Land Commission (NLC), which SLLAP is supporting to establish and roll out a systematic title registration process as mandated by the National Land Commission Act of 2022.
Bakeh Loko serves as one of three pilot chiefdoms selected to test mapping, recording, and registration processes. The outcomes and operational insights gained from this chiefdom will act as a primary blueprint for the planned nationwide rollout.
Before field visits in Bakeh Loko, the mission team conferred with officials at the National Land Commission. Upon arriving in the chiefdom, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Paramount Chief PC Adikali Miller OPapa III before meeting directly with local Village and Chiefdom Land Committees.
The community-level consultations provided the World Bank team with firsthand visibility into implementation progress, local operational challenges, and areas requiring additional institutional support. Local land reform champions also presented their experiences and feedback on how the transition is unfolding on the ground.
World Bank representatives noted that grounding national policies in local realities is vital, given that land remains a primary social and economic driver for rural communities. The pilot phase aims to refine technical systems, strengthen community participation, and resolve disputes before scaling the system nationwide.
The initiative draws its legal authority from the National Land Commission Act of 2022. The Implementation Support Mission is scheduled to continue its review across various project components to track performance, identify emerging risks, and ensure the project remains aligned with its primary objectives.