The National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have reviewed progress on key public procurement reforms as part of the Bank’s renewed Budget Support Programme for Sierra Leone.
The engagement, held in Freetown on 9th July 2026, brought together NPPA Chief Executive Officer Chief Fodie J. Konneh and an AfDB delegation led by Governance Officer Madam Andara Kamara to assess ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s procurement system.
Discussions focused on major reform areas, including recommendations from the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), the digital transformation of public procurement through the Salone Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System, institutional capacity development, and the professionalization of procurement officers.
Providing an update on the MAPS implementation process, Chief Konneh said Sierra Leone successfully completed the assessment within a record period and has already started implementing key recommendations. He noted that the review of the Public Procurement Act, 2016, one of the major recommendations from the assessment, has reached an advanced stage.
He added that Sierra Leone’s MAPS assessment was officially launched by the MAPS Secretariat in May 2026, demonstrating the country’s commitment to aligning its procurement system with international standards. He also acknowledged the support of the World Bank and AfDB, which each led assessments of two of the four MAPS pillars.
The meeting also highlighted progress on the Salone e-GP System, a flagship government reform designed to improve transparency and efficiency in public procurement. Chief Konneh informed the delegation about the recent soft launch of the Procurement Requisition and Bid Publication modules, following the successful deployment of the User Management, Supplier Registration, Price Norm, and Annual Procurement Planning modules.
He explained that the phased rollout of the e-GP system is strengthening accountability, improving efficiency, and creating the foundation for a fully digital procurement ecosystem.
Both parties also emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional and human resource capacity through continuous training, certification, and the development of a professional procurement workforce capable of managing modern procurement systems.
Chief Konneh further outlined NPPA’s shift from focusing mainly on contract awards to placing greater emphasis on contract monitoring, management, and administration. He said the approach has revealed weaknesses in project implementation and contract execution, highlighting the need for stronger oversight mechanisms and improved institutional capacity.
The discussions also covered international procurement best practices, including the adoption of the Most Advantageous Bid (MAB) approach where appropriate and the implementation of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) to improve transparency, accountability, and public access to procurement information.
Concluding the engagement, Chief Konneh reaffirmed NPPA’s commitment to implementing MAPS recommendations and strengthening public procurement reforms. He called for continued AfDB support in institutional development, capacity building, digital transformation, and logistics.
The AfDB delegation commended the progress made by NPPA and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote transparency, efficiency, and value for money in Sierra Leone’s public procurement system.
