By Mackie M. Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s telecommunications landscape is in chaos, and at the center of the storm stands Sekou Amadou Bah, the embattled CEO of Orange Sierra Leone. His leadership has reduced what was once a prominent, trusted brand to a pariah in the telecom industry, characterized by relentless exploitation, shocking service failures, and unbridled corporate greed. Under Bah’s watch, Orange SL has become the poster child for how not to run a telecom company in a country desperate for affordable, reliable service.
Service disruptions have become a daily nightmare for Sierra Leoneans, as Bah’s administration has failed to address the crippling internet outages and appalling network instability. Customers have endured constant buffering, slow speeds, and dropped calls, despite paying some of the highest mobile data and call rates in West Africa. This negligence has crippled businesses, hindered educational opportunities, and left millions of Sierra Leoneans struggling to access basic telecom services. The once-strong reputation of Orange SL has crumbled under Bah’s leadership, and the company is now known for delivering some of the worst telecom services in the region.
Bah’s management has seen prices soar for essential services, with mobile data, call bundles, and mobile money transactions marked up outrageously while service quality continues to plummet. In one of the most shocking examples, a mobile data package from Africell, a rival telecom provider, is sold at nearly half the price of what Orange SL charges, despite offering superior service. Bah’s strategy appears to be one of maximizing profit at any cost, even if it means bleeding the pockets of struggling Sierra Leoneans who have no other viable options.
The issue of “predatory pricing” has garnered widespread condemnation, with lawmakers demanding immediate action. Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has lashed out at Orange SL’s exploitative practices, calling Bah’s pricing structure an outright abuse of power in a nation where access to telecom services is a lifeline for millions. His words have resonated with a public that feels betrayed by a company that once prided itself on supporting the nation’s growth.
The National Telecommunications Authority (NatCA) has also weighed in, slamming Orange SL for its operational failures. In a historic move, NatCA issued an ultimatum, giving the company seven days to address the crisis or face severe consequences. This unprecedented intervention comes after Orange SL failed to comply with national regulations and continued to offer substandard services without repercussions. The government has now been forced to step in, with regulators making it clear that Bah’s reign of mismanagement cannot continue unchecked.
It’s not just customers who are suffering; the internal turmoil at Orange SL speaks volumes about the deep dysfunction that has taken root within the company. Experienced staff members, many of whom helped build Orange SL’s early reputation, are abandoning ship in droves. These resignations speak to the toxic work environment Bah has fostered, one where employee morale has hit rock bottom. Talented professionals are fleeing the company, leaving behind a hollowed-out organization struggling to maintain even the most basic operational standards.
Moreover, Bah’s blatant disregard for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives has further tarnished Orange SL’s reputation. Once a company known for contributing to local communities and supporting national development, Orange SL has under Bah’s leadership slashed CSR budgets, leaving critical social programs unfunded. Bah’s indifference to the needs of Sierra Leoneans has been a key factor in the growing resentment against his leadership.
In Parliament, calls for Bah’s immediate resignation have reached a crescendo, with members of the legislative body demanding an urgent inquiry into the company’s practices. Bah’s blatant exploitation of the market, his failure to provide basic services, and his disregard for customer welfare have left the government with little choice but to take action. The mounting pressure is undeniable: Bah must step down, or face a corporate reckoning that could spell the end of Orange SL as a major player in Sierra Leone’s telecom sector.
For Sierra Leoneans, Bah’s tenure as CEO has been nothing short of disastrous. With skyrocketing costs and worsening service quality, Orange SL is now a symbol of corporate greed, incompetence, and a total failure to meet the needs of the people it serves. The resignation of Sekou Amadou Bah is no longer just a matter of public opinion; it is a critical step toward rescuing Orange SL from its self-inflicted collapse and restoring some semblance of accountability and fairness to Sierra Leone’s telecom industry.
