Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project

Eid Mubarak to all our muslim family!✨🤍
May all your prayers be answered.

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The Big 5 AI & Blockchain Hackathon was made possible by the passion of our participants, the support of our collaborators at Christex Foundation, and the generous funding of the World Bank through the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project.

Together, we are driving innovation and building Sierra Leone’s digital future.

After 10 days of intense bootcamp training and weeks of building, the Big 5 AI & Blockchain Hackathon Finale is finally here.

250 innovators began the journey.
Now the best teams are ready to take the stage.

Tomorrow, they will pitch the bold ideas and powerful solutions they’ve built using AI and Blockchain, all competing for a share of the Le1,200,000 prize pool and the chance to shape Sierra Leone’s digital future.

This is where innovation meets impact.

Following the successful development of the National Drone Regulations, supported by , we are now taking the next bold step.

, with support from convened a multi-stakeholder consultation workshop to inform the development of Sierra Leone’s National Drone Policy and Strategy and Drone Use Case Landscape Review.

Bringing together key institutions, the consultation focused on:
- Identifying high-impact drone use cases across priority sectors
- Strengthening regulatory and operational alignment
- Ensuring safety, security, and accountability in drone operations
- Defining a national roadmap for responsible and scalable drone adoption

This is how we move from regulation to real impact.

Today, as part of the ongoing Mid-Term Review Mission, the delegation visited two institutions supported under the project with assistive devices:
- Dorothy Springer Trust
- Educational Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The visit provided an opportunity to see firsthand how assistive technologies are enabling learners with disabilities to access digital tools, build skills, and participate more fully in education and the digital economy.

These engagements reaffirm the Project’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind as Sierra Leone advances its digital transformation agenda.

Inclusion is not an add-on, it is foundational.

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As part of the ongoing Mid-Term Review Mission, the team held strategic meetings with the country’s three Mobile Network Operators .

These engagements focused on collaboration to extend telecommunications infrastructure to underserved and unserved communities which is a critical step toward closing the digital divide and ensuring inclusive access to digital services.

Mobile Network Operators will be key partners as the Project moves into large-scale implementation of connectivity expansion activities. Aligning public investment with private sector deployment plans will help accelerate rollout, maximize impact, and ensure sustainable outcomes.

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Over the past few days, the Project Coordination Unit, and the World Bank team have engaged with key institutions supported under the project, including:
- Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI)
- Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE)
- Parliament of Sierra Leone
- Cabinet Secretariat
- National Communications Authority (NatCA)
- Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)
- Sierra Leone Postal Service (SALPOST)
- National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NC3)
- National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Universal Access Development Fund (UADF)

These engagements are focused on identifying challenges, aligning priorities, and ensuring that ongoing investments across digital connectivity, digital public services, skills development, and cybersecurity are positioned to deliver measurable and sustainable impact through the remainder of the project period.

The Mid-Term Review is not just about assessing performance but also about ensuring that every investment translates into real, measurable impact for citizens.

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Ramadan Mubarak☪️ 🌙
May this season bring you peace and answered prayers🙏🏼

The Mid-Term Review Mission for the has officially kicked off!

Over the next few days, the Government of Sierra Leone and the World Bank team will engage across key components of the project, reviewing progress in digital connectivity, digital public services, digital skills development, cybersecurity, and project implementation performance.

This mission is an important milestone as we assess achievements to date and align on priorities for the remaining implementation period.

We look forward to productive discussions and strengthening partnerships that will accelerate Sierra Leone’s digital transformation journey.

Innovation

Today marks a major step toward a safer digital Sierra Leone as the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NC3) validated the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign and Skills Strategy and Action Plan.

This framework, which is supported by , will shape how we protect citizens, institutions, and our digital infrastructure in the years ahead. It is a national commitment to build a cyber-aware society, develop a strong cybersecurity workforce, integrate cybersecurity into education, protect women, children, and vulnerable groups online, and strengthen cyber resilience across workplaces
As digital access expands across the country, cybersecurity must grow alongside it. will not only support the development of this Strategy but will also support its implementation thereby ensuring that awareness campaigns are rolled out nationwide and that skills development initiatives translate into real opportunities for Sierra Leoneans.

Merry Christmas from SLDTP!🎄🎄
We hope this season brings you rest, peace, and time with the people who matter.
Thank you for standing with us and for being part of our journey this year.
We look forward to growing together in the new year.