Posted on:

November 24, 2025

Honourable Minister, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani Leads Digital Trade Mission to Sierra Leone; Sign MoU to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

Nigeria - Sierra Leone Digital Economy Bilateral Mission1

The Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, has led a high-level Nigerian delegation to Sierra Leone for the Nigeria–Sierra Leone Digital Economy Bilateral Trade Mission, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation across digital public infrastructure, digital trade, cybersecurity, youth innovation, and technology transfer. This engagement comes on the heels of Dr. Tijani’s participation in the Regional Summit on Digital Transformation in Benin Republic, reinforcing Nigeria’s proactive leadership in shaping West Africa’s digital future.

The Mission featured ecosystem hub tours, press engagements, technical sessions, and Government-to-Government deliberations hosted by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communication, Technology & Innovation, Hon. Salima Monorma Bah. Discussions focused on digital trade coordination, cybersecurity collaboration, skills development, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, reflecting the shared ambition of both nations to accelerate regional digital integration. 

Following two days of bilateral engagements, both countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening regional integration, expanding digital infrastructure, and building a more innovative, resilient, and inclusive West African economy. 

 

Specific highlights of the discussions include:

Strengthened Bilateral Cooperation

Both Governments agreed to enhance collaboration across priority areas of mutual interest, including:

  • Digital public infrastructure and interoperable government systems
  • Broadband expansion and resilient connectivity
  • Digital identity, cybersecurity, and data governance
  • Artificial Intelligence development and responsible innovation
  • Digital literacy, talent development, and institutional capacity building
  • Cross-border digital trade and private-sector partnerships

 

Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)

The Governments of Nigeria and Sierra Leone signed MoUs establishing structured cooperation on:

  • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
  • Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies
  • Talent development and digital skills
  • Broadband infrastructure and spectrum collaboration

 

Private-sector companies from both countries also signed multiple partnership MoUs aimed at:

  • Expanding digital services across markets
  • Strengthening fintech, edtech, healthtech, govtech and cloud solutions
  • Driving joint innovation projects
  • Supporting startup exchange and enterprise growth

“Nigeria remains fully committed to enabling a more harmonised, secure, and innovative digital region. Our partnership with Sierra Leone is not only a bilateral engagement, it is part of a broader vision to ensure that technology, talent, and trade flow seamlessly across our continent,” said Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy. “Together, we are laying the foundations for a digital economy that empowers our young people and creates shared prosperity”.

“Nigeria remains fully committed to enabling a more harmonised, secure, and innovative digital region. Our partnership with Sierra Leone is not only a bilateral engagement, it is part of a broader vision to ensure that technology, talent, and trade flow seamlessly across our continent,” said Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy. “Together, we are laying the foundations for a digital economy that empowers our young people and creates shared prosperity”.

Hon. Salima Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communication, Technology & Innovation, welcomed the cooperation, highlighting its potential to accelerate Sierra Leone’s digital transformation. She stressed the need for both countries to build of their relationship and shared history towards accelerating the continent’s digital economy.

The Mission’s emphasis on private-sector collaboration was further demonstrated by the participation of leading Nigerian technology companies, including IHS Towers, Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN), Flutterwave, Miden, Ubulu Africa, Chams, Future Africa, Cybervergent, Prunedge, Itana, and Awarri, whose presence highlighted Nigeria’s depth of innovation capacity and commitment to fostering regional investment flows. These companies engaged Sierra Leonean counterparts in structured B2B matchmaking sessions designed to stimulate cross-border partnerships, digital infrastructure development, and knowledge exchange.

The Nigerian delegation included agency heads from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy including Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA);  Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB); Dr. Olubunmi Ajala, National Coordinator, National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR); and Victoria Fabunmi, National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI).

Isime Esene

Office of the Honourable Minister

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