By Alhaji M. B. Jalloh
Once again, the people of Sierra Leone have been ambushed – this time by an outrageous and inconsiderate increase in internet data prices by the country’s two major telecommunications operators, Orange and Africell.
Subscribers woke up earlier this week to find that the widely used 1 Mbps weekly bundle previously priced at Le 60 had been replaced by a 2 Mbps plan costing Le 100 – introduced without any prior public notice or explanation.
For citizens already battling with rising food, fuel, and transport costs, this abrupt increase, roughly a 67 percent jump is not merely inconsiderate; it is exploitative.
A Basic Necessity, Not a Luxury
Internet access in today’s Sierra Leone is no longer a privilege for the few. It has become a vital necessity for everyone. Students rely on it for online learning and research. Small business owners use it to market their products and reach customers. Journalists, activists, and civil society groups depend on it to inform, mobilize, and educate the public. The list goes on.
Yet, despite years of complaints about poor and unreliable service, consumers are now being asked to pay more for less. SpeedChecker’s 2024 report on Sierra Leone’s network performance found that both download and upload speeds remain below regional averages – a clear reminder of how citizens have been short – changed while still paying among the highest data costs in West Africa.
Regulatory Silence and Public Frustration
At the heart of this controversy lies a deeper failure: the absence of regulatory accountability. The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) are mandated to protect consumers and ensure fairness in the telecoms sector.
As I am writing this piece in the west end of Freetown, neither institution has publicly explained the rationale behind these sudden hikes. Their silence is deafening and dangerous. When regulators fail to act, corporations are emboldened to exploit.
How can a ministry that boasts of promoting “digital transformation” watch quietly while citizens are digitally suffocated by unjustified tariffs?
What message does this send to young innovators, students, and entrepreneurs who depend on affordable internet to survive and thrive?
Parliament Must Intervene
This matter requires urgent parliamentary attention. The Parliamentary Committee on Information and Communication should immediately summon the Minister of Communication, the leadership of NATCOM, and executives of Orange and Africell to explain to the nation how and why these unfair price adjustments were approved.
Transparency, consultation, and fairness must underpin every decision that affects millions of consumers. Sierra Leoneans deserve to know who authorized these increases and on what basis.
A Call to the President
To His Excellency the President, this is another defining test of your government’s commitment to protecting the poor and upholding accountability. Leadership is not about slogans; it is about taking decisive action when citizens are unfairly burdened.
The public is calling on you, sir, to order an immediate review of the new data tariffs and demand explanations from those who approved them without due process. Allowing this decision to stand unchallenged would undermine your government’s promise of inclusive growth and digital empowerment.
Citizens Deserve Better
Sierra Leoneans cannot continue to pay more for less. Internet access is no longer a luxury;it is a tool for empowerment, education, and innovation. Pricing it beyond the reach of ordinary people only deepens inequality and drags the nation backward.
Enough is enough. The poor and voiceless deserve protection, not exploitation disguised as innovation. The time for silence is over. The the people of this country deserve better.
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To be continued…
