The Parliament of Sierra Leone on Thursday ratified an agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and Blueribbon Solutions SL Limited for the financing, development, management, and operation of the Sierra Leone National Single Window (SLNSW), a digital platform aimed at improving trade facilitation and revenue collection.
Presenting the agreement before Parliament, the Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, said the project would modernize trade processes through a centralized digital system. He explained that the agreement provides for system maintenance and sustainability while ensuring revenue sharing between the Government and the company on a 30:70 basis.
The Minister noted that the project would operate under high standards of governance and accountability, supported by committees established to oversee its implementation and management.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Hon. Keikura Christopher Vandy of Bo District, described the agreement as significant for national development. He emphasized the need for companies to fulfill their tax obligations and highlighted the project’s role in promoting a fully digitized trade system.
Hon. Vandy further stressed the importance of building local technical capacity to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project under its Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) framework.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Tamba Kellie of Kono District praised the Finance Minister’s commitment to national development but raised concerns about the procurement process and the origins of certain agreements brought before Parliament.
Deputy Leader of Opposition 2, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, acknowledged the challenges facing exporters and importers and welcomed efforts to centralize trade-related processes.
However, he questioned the lack of clarity regarding the eventual transfer of operations to the Government, the total investment value of the project, and the proposed revenue-sharing arrangement, which he described as inadequate for the state.
Hon. Mohamed Lansana of Kenema District highlighted the benefits of the National Single Window, noting that it would streamline trade documentation and reduce the time required to clear containers at the port to a maximum of 24 hours.
Also supporting the agreement, Hon. Abu-Bakar Fofanah of Kenema District said the project would boost revenue generation and significantly reduce corruption through its robust digital systems.
Speaking on behalf of the Opposition, Opposition Leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo expressed support for the initiative, describing it as a necessary step toward modernizing Sierra Leone’s trade and financial systems.
“Sierra Leone is far behind in terms of technology, and when agreements come before Parliament to improve electronic transactions and efficiency, the Opposition will support them,” he said.
Hon. Kargbo emphasized the need for strong parliamentary oversight to ensure the successful implementation of the agreement.
Concluding the debate on behalf of the Government, Acting Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, welcomed the bipartisan support for the agreement and assured the public that Parliament would closely monitor its implementation.
Responding to concerns raised by Members of Parliament, Finance Minister Bangura provided further clarifications and assurances before the agreement was unanimously ratified.
In a separate development, Parliament enacted the Merchant Shipping Act 2026 with amendments.
The new legislation repeals and replaces the Merchant Shipping Act 2003 (Act No. 3 of 2003) and seeks to consolidate and strengthen laws governing ship registration, shipping regulation, maritime safety, and protection of the marine environment.
Following its Third Reading, the Bill was passed into law.
The enactment of the new legislation is expected to modernize Sierra Leone’s maritime legal framework and align the country’s shipping sector with contemporary international standards.