Freetown, Sierra Leone – A damning new investigation has exposed a glaring mismatch in revenues from one of Sierra Leone’s major infrastructure projects, with the government collecting just $1 million in toll fees over nine years, despite projections estimating $172 million in total earnings.
The findings, detailed in a report from the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), spotlight the Wellington-Masiaka toll road as a prime example of opaque dealings that undermine national development.
The 65-kilometer, four-lane highway, which connects the capital Freetown to outlying provinces, was constructed through a $148 million, 27-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) agreement with the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG).
Operational since 2017, the project has drawn scrutiny for its undisclosed contract terms, which critics say enable hidden oversight and payment flaws.
According to the IGR analysis, the toll system generates an average of $21 million annually, yet only a fraction, $1 million, has reached the National Revenue Authority.
“This project exemplifies how large-scale deals often bypass benefits for everyday Sierra Leoneans,” said Andrew Lavalie, IGR’s executive director.
He noted that his organization is scrutinizing over 3,400 contracts awarded between 2016 and 2023 under both the All People’s Congress (APC) and Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) administrations, using the toll road as a focal point.
The report attributes the discrepancy partly to inconsistencies in traffic data and collections, uncovered through AI-driven surveillance of vehicle movements. Adding to public frustration, toll rates surged by over 110% in 2024 to cover maintenance costs outlined in the concession. Fees for tricycles jumped from NLe1 to NLe3, taxis from NLe2 to NLe5, and heavy trucks from NLe183 to NLe400.
Professor Fredline M’Cormack-Hale, a contributor to the study, emphasized the road’s potential as a blueprint for national progress.
“Infrastructure like this is vital for boosting the economy and public services. Fixing the toll model here could pave the way for similar successes nationwide,” she stated.
Beyond highlighting the financial drain, the IGR urges a fundamental overhaul of Sierra Leone’s anti-corruption framework. It accuses foreign companies of exacerbating systemic vulnerabilities that siphon public funds and advocates for political leaders to unite in renegotiating detrimental agreements. The report proposes making it a crime for officials to engineer contracts leading to ongoing losses, prioritizing proactive fraud detection over after-the-fact probes.
Key institutions, including the Anti-Corruption Commission and National Public Procurement Authority, should mandate complete disclosure of all deals, the document argues. It also calls for phasing out predatory contracting habits in favor of transparent, effective governance structures.
To bolster oversight, the IGR recommends forging robust partnerships between civil society groups and journalists. While initiatives like the Budget Advocacy Network have improved spending transparency, a wider coalition is essential to challenge powerful interests in revenue-generating industries, the report concludes.
This revelation comes amid growing calls for accountability in Sierra Leone’s public sector, as the nation grapples with leveraging its resources for long-term growth.
