By: Zacharia Jalloh, Strategic Communications Unit (MIC)
A 3-day workshop on Digitalization Acceleration, with the theme, ENGAGEMENT IN A PEER LEARNING ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN UNLOCKING THE DIGITAL ECONOMY- A case study of Sierra Leone”, currently being held at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel, in Freetown, has focused on how the world is going digital and how governments across the world are using digital tools to provide social and economic services to their citizens.
This is in line with President Bio’s vision for Sierra Leone to be fully prepared for what he referred to as the ‘fourth industrial revolution.’ It is against this backdrop that the Government of Sierra Leone is exploring all avenues to ensure that full digital transformation is achieved in Sierra Leone, in the shortest possible time
To actualize this vision, the World Bank has provided the Ministry of Information and Communication with a $50million Digital Transformation Project to expand broadband, e-governance, digital skills training and digital economy. This project is currently being implemented in the Ministry of Information and Communications.
The workshop, which started on 14th March and ends on the 16th March 2023, was made possible by a collaboration between the Ministry of Information and the National Communications Authority (NatCA) with support from the Smart Africa Program, a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies. The Ministry of Information has been partnering with Smart Africa over the years to assist Sierra Leone to be part of the Africa Digital Vision.
In 2022, representatives from NatCA visited Rwanda on a study tour as a newly created Authority and in one of the meetings, Smart Africa agreed to participate in a peer learning workshop to ensure knowledge-sharing amongst member states. As a result, representatives from member States like Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda are in Sierra Leone to share their digital experience with stakeholders in the digital sector in Sierra Leone.
On the local front, NatCA, Telcos, Zoodlabs, Michel Group of Companies and Universal Access Development Fund (UADF) are also participating in the workshop as key players in the drive to digital transformation in Sierra Leone.
