National Revenue Authority (NRA) Commissioner General Abu Martin Kanneh has held his maiden stakeholder engagement with Managing Directors and representatives of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) operating in Sierra Leone.

The engagement, held on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Rensis House on Gloucester Street in Freetown, provided an opportunity for the newly appointed Commissioner General to formally engage stakeholders in the petroleum sector, outline the priorities of his administration and hear concerns affecting the operations of OMCs.

Key discussions focused on petroleum volume and payment reconciliation, including the management of concessions, with the aim of strengthening compliance, improving coordination and enhancing revenue mobilisation from the petroleum sector.

Welcoming the OMC representatives, Kanneh acknowledged the critical role played by the petroleum sector in Sierra Leone’s economy. He said the sector contributes more than half of the revenue collected by the NRA, underscoring its importance to domestic revenue mobilisation.

The Commissioner General, however, said revenue performance from the sector remained below expectations despite reforms introduced under the Finance Act 2026.

He therefore called for stronger collaboration between the NRA and OMCs, accurate reporting, effective reconciliation systems and improved compliance to ensure that government receives the revenue due from the sector.

Kanneh also used the engagement to emphasise the importance of strengthening systems for monitoring petroleum volumes and reconciling payments as part of efforts to improve revenue administration.

Responding to the Commissioner General, representatives of the OMCs congratulated him on his appointment and wished him success in leading the Authority and advancing revenue administration reforms.

The representatives identified effective petroleum volume-tracking and reconciliation systems as important measures for improving transparency, strengthening accountability and increasing revenue within the sector. They also presented concerns and recommendations relating to challenges affecting their operations.

At the conclusion of the engagement, the OMC representatives commended Kanneh and his team for prioritising stakeholder consultation at the beginning of his tenure.

They described the meeting as an opportunity to better understand the concerns of the petroleum sector and explore collaborative approaches to addressing challenges before the implementation of further enforcement measures.

The engagement forms part of the NRA’s efforts to strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders and improve revenue administration across strategic sectors of the economy.