Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovation, Salima Bah, has expressed her commitment to promoting fair mobile tariff costs and improving network quality from service providers. In response to the recent announcement of tariff increases on mobile money transfer services, Minister Bah has emphasized the government’s intention to collaborate closely with telecom providers to ensure that any tariff hikes are fair and reasonable, considering the economic conditions and the affordability of mobile services for the public .
Minister Bah has underscored her plans to engage in constructive dialogues with telecom companies, aiming to strike a balance between the industry’s requirements and the needs of consumers 1. She has also emphasized her mandate to foster competition within the telecom sector to help regulate prices, enhance telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas, and ultimately reduce the cost of service provision while expanding access .
In a recent interview with The Calabash Newspaper, Minister Bah stated that she is actively seeking a middle ground with phone companies and pushing for concessions. She made it clear that if they can’t strike a fair deal, she won’t let the tariffs go up .
The Minister’s background is a blend of tech expertise and legal know-how. This makes her well-suited to lead Sierra Leone’s efforts in promoting financial inclusion through bolstering mobile banking and mobile money services