By Usman Fambuleh
The Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NaTCA), Amara Brewah, has called for stronger collective efforts among regulators, telecommunications operators, financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity institutions and consumers to combat the growing threat of mobile and digital fraud in Sierra Leone.
Brewah made the call at a National Consultative Workshop to Develop and Validate a National Roadmap to Combat Mobile Fraud in Sierra Leone, held at the Authority’s Auditorium, NaTCA Building, in Freetown.
Addressing stakeholders, he stressed that the increasing sophistication of digital scams requires a coordinated national response. He noted that citizens are increasingly receiving fraudulent messages appearing to come from trusted service providers, often directing them to click on suspicious links or provide personal information in exchange for supposed rewards.
Victims may subsequently lose money from their mobile money wallets, with the consequences extending beyond financial losses to lost income, diminished trust and disruption to livelihoods.
According to the NaTCA Director-General, digital fraud can no longer be viewed solely as a cybersecurity or technology problem but must also be treated as a consumer protection, regulatory, law enforcement and national security concern.
He said Sierra Leone’s digital transformation must be built on trust, security and accountability, with regulatory responsibilities extending beyond connectivity to ensuring that the networks and services citizens rely on are safe, resilient and properly governed.
Brewah identified several forms of digital fraud affecting citizens, including SIM-related fraud, SIM swapping, phishing, impersonation, identity theft, fraudulent calls and messages, mobile money scams and the misuse of numbering resources.
He emphasised that such crimes often cross institutional boundaries, with a single fraudulent transaction potentially involving telecommunications networks, mobile money platforms, banks, digital identity systems and law enforcement agencies.
The Director-General therefore urged mobile network operators and other service providers to strengthen fraud detection systems, protect customer information, respond promptly to incidents, establish effective complaint mechanisms and cooperate with competent authorities.
He warned that where regulatory obligations are not met, appropriate corrective measures and, where necessary, enforcement action must follow.
Placing consumers at the centre of the fight, Brewah said victims should have access to clear reporting channels, timely responses, effective investigations and appropriate redress.
He also underscored the importance of public education, urging citizens to learn how to identify phishing attempts, impersonation, fraudulent calls, suspicious links and other common scams. However, he cautioned that consumer education must complement, rather than replace, strong institutional safeguards.
The NaTCA boss further described cybersecurity as a national priority, noting that Sierra Leone’s communications networks, financial systems, public services and economy are increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure.
He said NaTCA will continue working with the Bank of Sierra Leone, law enforcement agencies, NCRA, cybersecurity institutions, mobile operators, financial institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen information sharing, incident response, compliance monitoring and public awareness.
As part of efforts to develop a National Roadmap to Combat Mobile and Digital Fraud, Brewah proposed five key priorities: detection, prevention, rapid response, accountability and collaboration.
The proposed measures are aimed at identifying suspicious activities, strengthening safeguards across telecommunications and digital platforms, improving reporting and investigation mechanisms, enforcing regulatory obligations and sustaining cooperation among key stakeholders.
Brewah concluded by stressing that Sierra Leone needs more than connectivity; it needs trusted connectivity, secure digital financial services and effective, coordinated and enforceable regulation.
He reaffirmed NaTCA’s commitment to strong regulation, stakeholder engagement, consumer protection and enforcement, while urging stakeholders to move from discussion to concrete action to protect citizens and strengthen confidence in the country’s digital future.
