Africell, Sierra Leone’s leading telecommunications company, has committed to building an ultra-modern Data Center in the proposed Tech City in Bo, Tikonko chiefdom. This initiative is part of a more significant effort led by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Innovation, which aims to raise $150 million to implement a comprehensive digital innovation hub strategy.
The telco’s Sierra Leone’s Managing Director, Shadi Gerjawi, emphasised the significance of this commitment, stating, “The whole idea about the Tech City is to bring tech people together so that they can share knowledge.
We are constantly working towards finding tech innovators, reaching out, and forming synergies. It’s great that the government has created a place to discuss the future.” This move highlights Africell’s dedication to supporting the nation’s technological advancement.
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Government and Private Sector Collaboration on the Ultra-Modern Data Center
The initiative, spearheaded by the Minister of Innovation, Salima Bah, includes establishing a new Tech City to foster job creation and entrepreneurship and attract inbound investment.
“The initiative is designed to position Sierra Leone as a key innovation hub in West Africa, drawing talent from across the region and within the country. We want to create an environment that allows entrepreneurs to thrive,” said Salima Bah.
The Tech City will be located within a 130-acre Special Economic Zone in Tikonko, Bo district, approximately 250 kilometres east of Freetown. This zone is tailored to support startups and innovators, leveraging Sierra Leone’s small size to adapt to changing environments rapidly.
With a GDP of just under $4 billion in 2023 and a population of 8.7 million, the country aims to create an agile and responsive innovation ecosystem.
Tech City Vision
Private sector support is pivotal to this digital policy push. Africell, along with other local telecom companies, is a crucial partner, committing to build a Data Center in Tech City that will be accessible to third parties.
The strategy was officially unveiled at the Sierra Leone Tech Summit in Freetown, attended by 4,000 delegates. President Dr Julius Maada Bio endorsed the plan, announcing a $50 million digital transformation project to modernise the country’s digital infrastructure and promote digital literacy.
A crucial aspect of the Tech City strategy is securing company commitments to establish facilities within the zone, including data centres and tech schools. Initial efforts will focus on job creation by opening business process outsourcing centres with 10,000 to 15,000 computer seats and device assembly lines.
Despite the rise of tech hubs across Africa over the last decade and a half, Sierra Leone has largely been bypassed. Consultant Oswald Osaretin Guobadia believes the country can transform digitally with the right policies.
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Guobadia, who previously served as a senior special assistant on digital transformation for the Nigerian president, emphasises the importance of attracting and retaining entrepreneurs and established businesses.
Challenges remain, including attracting startups and founders from established tech hubs like Lagos and Accra to create a critical mass to attract investors. Additionally, local talent must be developed to support these startups.
Minister Salima Bah and her team are addressing these challenges by improving the ease of doing business and enhancing critical infrastructure, such as work visas, lower taxes, reliable internet, and steady electricity.
Sierra Leone’s Tech City strategy is a bold bet on the future, aiming to establish the country as a significant player in the digital economy.