Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has on Saturday, 29 November 2025, inaugurated a new €23 million Data Recovery Center built by Orange Sierra Leone in partnership with Sonatel Group in Bo City, describing it as a major advancement in the country’s digital transformation efforts.
The €23 million facility, developed in partnership with Sonatel Group, marks a major milestone in the country’s push for digital transformation and reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to fostering a conducive environment for private sector investment.
Following the launch, President Bio said, “With excitement, I inaugurated the data center built by Orange Sierra Leone and Sonatel Group in Bo City. This milestone represents a major step in our digital transformation journey, and I look forward to more investments to strengthen our digital infrastructure.”
According to an official statement from the Presidency, the facility is a full-scale replica of Orange Sierra Leone’s Freetown data center. It is designed to protect national data, strengthen service reliability, and ensure business continuity during emergencies or natural disasters.
The new data centre, described by Orange Sierra Leone’s Chief Technical Officer, Sylvanus Redwood-Sawyer, as the company’s disaster recovery centre, is the second such installation in Sierra Leone, with the first located in Freetown. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to significantly enhance Sierra Leone’s digital connectivity and resilience, supporting the growth of the nation’s digital and financial services.
President Bio, in his address at the opening ceremony, praised Orange Sierra Leone for its bold investment in Bo, underscoring the alignment of the project with his government’s vision to improve technology and innovation across the country. “Technology and innovation are critical enablers of development. The establishment of this Data Centre in Bo reflects the trust and confidence that exist between the government and the private sector,” President Bio said.
The President highlighted the increasing need for enhanced technical innovation, digital skills development, and robust infrastructure to ensure Sierra Leone’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
He also called for greater attention to cybersecurity, urging telecom providers to protect citizens’ data and prevent cybercrimes. “As we expand our digital space, service providers must guarantee robust cybersecurity for end users, eliminate cyberbullying, and confront cybercriminals,” President Bio stated.
Emphasizing the importance of human capital, President Bio reaffirmed his administration’s focus on investing in people, noting that the development of Sierra Leone’s digital landscape must go hand in hand with skills and knowledge growth. “When we invest in people, we invest in their future, where their ideas matter,” he added.
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Salima Monorma Bah, also highlighted the government’s digital achievements under President Bio’s leadership. She noted that since 2018, technology has been a central focus of the government’s development agenda, with significant investments made to expand connectivity across Sierra Leone.
“Through deliberate investment in connectivity, we have expanded Sierra Leone’s digital landscape, creating a strong foundation for digital services nationwide,” Minister Bah said.
Sekou Amadou Bah, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, described the Bo Data Centre as a strategic investment aimed at bolstering the country’s digital and financial services. He stressed that the facility would play a vital role in boosting economic growth, enabling the expansion of digital innovation, and supporting services across Bo District and beyond.
“We are a trusted digital partner to Sierra Leone. With this centre, we aim to power digital innovation across Bo District and beyond,” he said.
Brelotte BA, Chief Executive Officer of Sonatel Group and Chairman of Orange Sierra Leone’s Board, emphasized the significance of the data centre in promoting data sovereignty and enhancing the country’s resilience in the face of potential disruptions. “This facility represents a major step forward for data sovereignty. Digital transformation must be inclusive,” he remarked.
The Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Hon. Matthew Nyumah, also commended the investment, stressing the importance of digital transformation for modern development. He explained that the new centre in Bo ensures continuity in case of disruptions at the Freetown data centre, thus strengthening Sierra Leone’s overall digital infrastructure.
“We once had only one nerve centre for digital connectivity in Freetown. This second centre in Bo ensures continuity, so that in the event of storms, natural disasters or human error affecting the Freetown hub, this centre will automatically take over,” Hon. Nyumah said.
The commissioning of the Orange Sierra Leone Data Centre in Bo is deemed a major step towards achieving the country’s goal of becoming a modern digital hub in West Africa.
President Julius Maada Bio’s leadership in driving private investment and digital transformation notably reaffirms the government’s commitment to empowering Sierra Leone’s citizens and ensuring the nation’s continued growth in the digital age.
This development is expected to have far-reaching effects, enabling more robust digital services, supporting economic growth, and enhancing Sierra Leone’s position as a regional leader in technology and innovation.
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