President Bio inaugurates Orange Sierra Leone’s new Data Centre in Bo

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has officially inaugurated the new Orange Sierra Leone Data Centre in Bo, marking a major expansion of the country’s digital infrastructure. The facility, commissioned on Saturday, 29 November 2025, is a full-scale replica of Orange’s primary data centre in Freetown and will serve as a disaster recovery site to ensure continuity of digital services during outages, emergencies or natural disasters.

Located in southern Sierra Leone, the new centre is designed to extend secure and reliable digital services to underserved regions, including Makeni, Kono and Kenema. By balancing and segregating network traffic between the two national hubs, the Bo centre is expected to significantly improve connectivity for rural and regional communities.

The project represents an investment of more than 23 million euros, underscoring the role of public–private partnerships in strengthening national digital infrastructure. Speaking at the inauguration, President Bio reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enabling private investment and accelerating digital transformation. He emphasized the importance of cybersecurity, data protection and tackling cyberbullying and cybercrime, while highlighting that investing in human capacity remains central to the country’s long-term development.

Salima Monorma Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, noted that technology has been a core pillar of government policy since 2018, contributing to improvements in connectivity and digital services. Hon. Matthew Nyumah, Leader of Government Business in Parliament, said the second data centre would guarantee continuity of critical digital services should the Freetown site face unforeseen disruptions.

Brelotte BA, Director General of Sonatel Group and Chairman of Orange Sierra Leone’s Board, stressed the importance of data sovereignty and infrastructure resilience, calling for digital transformation efforts that reach all citizens. Orange Sierra Leone CEO Sekou Amadou Bah described the Bo facility as a strategic investment that will expand digital and financial services and support innovation across the region.

Orange Sierra Leone says the Bo Data Centre is part of its long-term commitment to building sustainable and resilient infrastructure capable of supporting national development. The company says the facility reflects its focus on energy efficiency, disaster preparedness and future-ready systems that will serve Sierra Leone for generations.