Africell Sierra Leone, the country’s leading mobile network operator, has been approved by the Government of Sierra Leone as the investment partner for the relaunch of state-owned telecommunications company Sierratel.
The appointment, confirmed by Cabinet and announced by Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation Salima Monorma Bah, marks a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s digital transformation agenda and a further demonstration of Africell’s central role in the country’s telecommunications future.
Under the partnership, Sierratel will relaunch as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), delivering mobile and telecoms services (including voice, data and mobile money) through Africell’s existing network infrastructure. The arrangement is structured on a revenue-sharing basis, enabling Sierratel to return to market efficiently without the capital expenditure burden of rebuilding its own network.
For Africell, the partnership validates the scale and quality of the network investment the company has made in Sierra Leone since launching services two decades ago. Africell’s network currently reaches more than 90% of the Sierra Leonean population, a coverage footprint that makes it the only credible foundation for a national operator relaunch of this kind. With a market share of more than 50%, Africell is Sierra Leone’s dominant mobile operator and the natural partner for a project of national significance.
The partnership also reflects Africell’s broader commitment to Sierra Leone’s digital economy. By enabling Sierratel to serve new market segments, including students and young professionals in the digital and creative sectors, the collaboration is expected to expand access to connectivity across underserved communities, complementing Africell’s own customer base rather than competing with it.
“Sierra Leone deserves a thriving, competitive telecoms sector, and today’s announcement is an important step towards that,” says Shadi Gerjawi, CEO of Africell Sierra Leone. “By giving Sierratel access to Africell’s network, we are helping to bring meaningful connectivity to communities and customer segments that might otherwise be left behind. We look forward to working closely with Sierratel and the Government to make this relaunch a success — and to showing what is possible when the public and private sectors work together in the interests of the people of Sierra Leone.”
Africell’s selection as investment partner followed a competitive process. Previous attempts to attract private investment in Sierratel failed after prospective partners withdrew, citing infrastructure costs and market conditions that did not favour new entrants. The MVNO model sidesteps these obstacles entirely, allowing Sierratel to relaunch voice, data and mobile money services on Africell’s proven infrastructure without requiring the capital outlay that deterred earlier investors.
The arrangement is framed by the government not as a privatisation of Sierratel, but as a strategic repositioning that preserves the national operator’s brand and identity while leveraging Africell’s market-leading expertise and infrastructure. The partnership will be implemented in line with Sierra Leone’s national digital transformation goals and regulatory frameworks, with the Ministry of Information and Civic Education providing public updates as implementation progresses.
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