By christian.conteh@awokonewspapersl.com
Freetown, Sierra Leone – The government of Sierra Leone poured the largest share of its 2023 procurement spending into infrastructure projects, despite awarding far fewer contracts in that category, according to new data released by the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA).
In its latest procurement analysis titled “Categories of Procurements Executed in 2023”, the NPPA reported that just 357 contracts classified as “Works”—covering road construction, public buildings, and water infrastructure—accounted for a staggering Le8.94 billion in expenditure. That’s nearly half (48%) of the total procurement value, even though these contracts represented only 6.6% of the total number awarded.
By contrast, the government executed a much larger number of contracts for goods—3,467 in total—but spent less overall, with those activities costing Le6.69 billion, or 36% of total procurement value. Services, which include training, maintenance, and consultancy, accounted for 1,507 contracts and Le1.94 billion, or 10.4% of total spending.
The data points to a significant spending imbalance: fewer contracts consuming the lion’s share of the procurement budget. Analysts say this reflects the inherently high cost of infrastructure development—but also raises questions about transparency and accountability.
“Infrastructure contracts are naturally more capital-intensive,” explained one public finance expert. “But when such a small number of deals account for nearly half the national procurement spending, it’s critical to ask whether these are being subjected to proper oversight, competitive bidding, and value-for-money evaluations.”
This new analysis follows concerns raised in NPPA’s broader 2023 report, which flagged serious lapses across many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). These included procurement outside approved plans, excessive sole-sourcing, and poor record-keeping—issues that could be exacerbated in big-budget works projects.
“The risk of corruption or mismanagement is higher when large sums are concentrated in a few contracts, especially in the construction sector,” the finance expert added. “That’s why transparency isn’t optional—it’s essential.”
The NPPA has urged all MDAs to strengthen their procurement processes by hiring trained personnel, following approved procurement plans, and prioritizing open competitive bidding. The authority warns that without these reforms, public trust and financial efficiency will continue to suffer.
Civil society groups and procurement watchdogs are now being called upon to ramp up scrutiny, particularly of works-related contracts, which continue to absorb the largest portion of taxpayer funds.
“This should be a wake-up call,” the NPPA stressed. “Every leone spent must deliver measurable value to the people of Sierra Leone.” CC/19/5/2025
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