MPs Seek Clarifications On Sierratel-Africell Partnership

By Lemuella Tarawallie

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation, chaired by Hon. Boston Munda, on Tuesday 16 June 2026 engaged the Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation in a detailed hearing over the status of the Sierratel and Africell partnership agreement.

Members of the committee are insisting that no agreement should proceed without full access to signed contracts.

Opening the hearing, Hon. Boston Munda reminded the Minister and her team that the Committee’s mandate was rooted in constitutional oversight and public accountability.  “This committee is not intimidating anyone, but to have frank discussions,” he stated. He added that Parliament reserved the right to summon any official in the public interest.

He continued: “As long as it is in the interest of the public, we have every reason to call anybody that is necessary to be here.”

The Chair further emphasized that the Committee would not rely solely on verbal briefings. “We want to have first-hand information regarding the document. When we have the document, we can talk and have an informed position,” he noted further.

Responding to the committee, Minister Salima stated that, “Sierratel has been going through a long period of operational limited capacity. The mobile operator service has gone down.” She explained that previous privatization efforts failed due to investor concerns over undisclosed liabilities.

“At each time, the agreement falls through because investors realize the scope of what is required, and they pull out,” she stated.

According to the Minister, the government opted for a Mobile Virtual Network Operator model with Africell to restore operations quickly without heavy state expenditure. “We came up with a model of a mobile virtual network operator, which means Sierratel will utilize Africell infrastructure to bring back operations within the shortest possible time.”

She added that Cabinet approval followed review by key institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, the Public-Private Partnership Unit, and the National Investment Board.

Hon. Bashiru Silikie, Deputy Leader of Government Business and Committee Member, raised strong concerns over legality and documentation. “I know you are aware of the law. I know you are aware of the procedures of the law,” he asked.

He insisted that Parliament must see audit reports before any operational advancement. “We want to see the audit report with regards to contract staff and liabilities.”

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Hon. Ing Fallah Tengbeh, questioned both financial and operational clarity in the arrangement. He pointed to inconsistencies in staff liability figures. “You mentioned two million dollars for staff liabilities, but the fact sheet says six million dollars. Which one is correct?”

He also raised concerns about operational dependency under the MVNO model. “In the event Africell backs off before the ten-year agreement, who takes ownership of the business?”

The Minister clarified that the six million dollar figure was an initial estimate. “That six million dollars was the initial assessment of total staff liability,” she explained. She added that strong contractual safeguards exist. “We have very strong termination clauses and penalties to protect both government and investors.”

Hon. Ambrose Maada Lebby challenged the policy direction of the agreement, questioning whether national assets were being undervalued. “Are you aware that Sierratel is one of the greatest assets we have as a people?” he asked. He also demanded clarity on procurement procedures.

Hon. Unpha Gbassay Koroma urged Parliament to focus on long-term sustainability and value creation. “Sierratel’s asset assessment should help harmonize its existing records with Africell’s requirements,” he noted.

He warned that the arrangement must not weaken Sierratel’s future stability. “Whatever we are getting in the process should be deliberately structured so that Sierratel can survive if anything happens to Africell.”

He also raised concern about the revenue share model. “At 12 to 88, I believe we need to ensure Sierratel benefits more in the long term.”

The Minister defended the 88 to 12 per cent revenue sharing arrangement under the MVNO model. “The only thing the government is bringing into the agreement is the Sierratel name. That is why we are getting 12 per cent,” she said.

She explained that Africell provides infrastructure, bandwidth, and operational management. “We looked at regional benchmarks including South Africa, Rwanda, and Nigeria where MVNO operators receive even lower percentages.”

Hon. Ibrahim Barrie urged the Ministry to involve Parliament at the early stages of agreement design. “If you want to avoid a scenario like this, always ensure you include the Committee during the design stage,” he said.

He warned that failure to engage Parliament could lead to rejection of agreements already underway. “Any agreement involving public interest must be approved by Parliament to be legitimate.”

In closing, Hon. Boston Munda stressed that Parliament could not proceed without reviewing official documents. “All that you are saying to us is what you know. We want to have first-hand information regarding the document.”

He ruled that the committee would pause detailed scrutiny until the agreement was submitted. “At this point, we will have a break with regards to Sierratel issues until we have the agreement.” He added that the Parliament would reconvene once the documents were available for detailed interrogation