By Hassan Osman Kargbo
In a landmark step towards strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) has hosted the Country Director of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Norihito Yonebayashi, for a high-level strategic dialogue.
The meeting represents a significant move in NPPA’s ongoing effort to deepen international technical partnerships and enhance capacity development across Sierra Leone’s public procurement landscape.
Leading the engagement on behalf of NPPA was Allieu M. Moigboi, Director of Capacity Building, whose work has been instrumental in cultivating new relationships with international development agencies. The meeting spotlighted JICA’s longstanding involvement in Sierra Leone’s development and laid the groundwork for future collaboration in key areas such as fleet management, training, and public infrastructure support.
Welcoming the JICA delegation, NPPA’s Chief Executive Officer expressed gratitude for Japan’s continuous support to Sierra Leone, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with agencies like JICA in driving sustainable national development. He described the visit as an honour and highlighted Japan’s consistent contributions through JICA, particularly in areas that have directly improved the lives of citizens.
“Our focus at NPPA is to ensure value for money, transparency, and accountability in all procurement activities involving government ministries, departments, and agencies,” the CEO stated. “We see this engagement with JICA not just as a partnership, but as an opportunity to align our efforts with an organization that shares our commitment to integrity, development, and capacity building.”
A central point of discussion was NPPA’s request for technical assistance from the Japanese government in managing and maintaining the extensive fleet of Toyota vehicles widely used by government institutions in Sierra Leone. The CEO underscored the challenges of vehicle servicing and maintenance, arguing that improved fleet management would significantly enhance government service delivery. He appealed for JICA’s support in establishing a technical assistance framework in this area.
In response, Mr. Yonebayashi expressed appreciation for NPPA’s outreach and reaffirmed JICA’s readiness to explore collaborative solutions. He shared insights into JICA’s mission and operations in Sierra Leone, outlining the agency’s role as a statutory arm of the Japanese government tasked with implementing development projects across key sectors.
JICA’s interventions in Sierra Leone include notable projects such as support to Lumley Hospital, a flagship initiative in the sub-region, and a recently signed agreement aimed at expanding nationwide access to electricity. The agency has also prioritized knowledge exchange and institutional development, offering technical training and scholarships across Africa to enhance human capacity.
“JICA believes in building partnerships that empower institutions and transform communities,” Mr. Yonebayashi stated. “Sierra Leone has been a key beneficiary of our support programs, and we are committed to deepening that engagement in a way that aligns with the country’s national priorities.”
JICA’s contributions to Sierra Leone span a wide range of sectors, including grant aid for the expansion of the Freetown power grid, technical upgrades in healthcare—particularly in paediatric and maternal services—and the promotion of sustainable rice farming in rural areas. The agency is also actively involved in regional power integration and district-level governance support.
What makes this emerging NPPA-JICA partnership particularly promising is the alignment between NPPA’s regulatory mandate and JICA’s development philosophy. Both institutions emphasize transparency, capacity development, and service delivery as critical to national progress. Potential areas of cooperation discussed include joint technical training programs, co-funded initiatives on vehicle maintenance, and broader institutional development support.
As Sierra Leone pushes forward with its public sector reform agenda, the collaboration between NPPA and JICA could serve as a model for how international partnerships can drive impactful change through local ownership, expertise exchange, and targeted capacity enhancement.
