By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Parliament has formally urged Orange Sierra Leone and Africell Sierra Leone to work closely with the National Telecommunications Authority (NatCA) to develop a new affordable, user-friendly data package that will replace the discontinued Le 60 (1MBPS) bundle. The directive followed a high-level public hearing held on Wednesday, 19th November 2025, in Committee Room No. 1, where lawmakers examined public concerns over the withdrawal of the popular data promotion and assessed broader challenges affecting mobile connectivity nationwide.

The session was jointly chaired by Honourable Boston Munda of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication and Technology and Honourable Ambrose Maada Lebby of the Parliamentary Transparency and Accountability Committee. The hearing brought together senior executives from both mobile operators, regulatory officials and civil society representatives for a comprehensive discussion on quality of service, affordability and operator obligations.

Africell Sierra Leone’s Chief Executive Officer, Shadi Gerjawi, delivered a detailed testimony explaining the company’s decision-making process. He stated that Africell has long played a leading role in expanding digital access in Sierra Leone, having pioneered unlimited data offerings and later introduced the Le 60 (1MBPS) promotion to broaden affordability. However, he explained that the promotional bundle generated extremely high usage levels that strained the network and posed sustainability challenges.

Shadi Gerjawi said Africell engaged NatCA for over a year on strategies such as fair-usage policies and revised promotional structures. During this period, the company continued to invest heavily in network upgrades, rural expansion and customer-care improvements. He further stated that, following the end of the promotion, Africell introduced new two-day and three-day Mbps bundles specifically designed to remain affordable for students, researchers and low-income users.

Orange Sierra Leone’s Chief Executive Officer, Sekou Amadou Bah, reiterated that the Le 60 bundle was a temporary promotional offer and not a regulated tariff. He confirmed that Orange remains committed to providing accessible data options but must balance affordability with long-term network stability.  Sekou Amadou Bah disclosed that Orange extensively informed the public about the promotion through 32 press releases and 37 radio stations nationwide, adding that the company would never introduce a tariff change without transparent public communication.

He also highlighted that increasing network usage, particularly following the rollout of new services, had caused congestion on Orange’s system. To address that, the company introduced its “unlimited midnight browsing for NLe5” initiative, designed to shift heavy traffic to off-peak hours and ease daytime congestion.


“We did not increase any tariffs,” Sekou Amadou Bah emphasized, a statement later supported by Honourable Suliaman Murray Conteh, Chairman of the Legislative Committee.

Civil Society representative Alphonso Manley also backed the operators’ explanations, noting that public misunderstanding was largely due to communication gaps rather than any deliberate increase in prices.

Director-General of NatCA, Amara Brewah, assured Parliament that both operators complied with regulatory guidelines and are cooperating with the authority to design an affordable and sustainable replacement package. He emphasized that consumer protection and operator viability must be maintained equally to promote Sierra Leone’s digital growth.

Officials from the Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation also commended the operators for continuous engagement with Government and highlighted their substantial investments in mobile penetration, infrastructure expansion and digital transformation nationwide.

Despite these reassurances, Members of Parliament raised concerns regarding persistent gaps in network reliability, service quality and customer support. Honourable Boston Munda said that Parliament would intensify oversight to ensure citizens receive value for money and that telecommunications services contribute effectively to national development, education and security.

Civil Society representative Alphonso Manley added that the telecommunications sector provides thousands of jobs, drives youth empowerment and generates significant tax revenue, making it essential to strike a balance between commercial viability and consumer rights.

At the end of the deliberations, Parliament issued four key resolutions:

- Orange and Africell must work directly with NatCA to design a new affordable data bundle to replace the phased-out Le 60 promotion.


- The new package must prioritize affordability for students, low-income users and rural populations.


- Operators must enhance transparency and communication on service improvements and tariff adjustments.


- The final proposal will undergo parliamentary review to ensure compliance with consumer-protection standards.

Parliament concluded by reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the telecommunications sector and expanding digital inclusion across the country. Lawmakers expressed confidence that, with the cooperation of Orange, Africell and NatCA, Sierra Leone is moving toward a more reliable, accessible and consumer-friendly digital future; one where affordability and quality remain central to national connectivity efforts. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/parliament-responding-to-nationwide-outcry-seeks-new-user-friendly-data-bundle-from-orange-africell/