Orange SL Brings Connectivity to Mathonkra, Launches New Network Site in Tonkolili

Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, 10th November 2025- In a major stride toward bridging Sierra Leone’s digital divide, Orange Sierra Leone has at the end of October 2025, commissioned a new mobile network site in Mathonkra, Tene Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, an area long underserved by telecommunications infrastructure.

The launch marks a significant milestone in the company’s deep-rural expansion strategy and underscores its commitment to digital inclusion, rural connectivity, and national development.

Despite challenging terrain and poor road access, Orange SL CEO Sekou Amadou Bah led his team to Mathonkra to personally oversee the commissioning. His presence signaled the company’s resolve to connect even the most remote communities to reliable, high-speed mobile services.

Welcoming the delegation, Paramount Chief Bai Kafari II hailed Orange SL as the first telecom provider to bring dependable connectivity to the region. He recalled the hardships residents faced walking miles or climbing hills just to make a phone call.

“This is a day of joy for the people of Mathonkra and the entire Tene Chiefdom,” he said. “For too long, we lived in silence, unable to communicate with loved ones or conduct business. Today, Orange has brought us closer to the rest of the country.”

The Chief described the new site as a transformative development that would enhance access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities, urging residents to protect the infrastructure as a community asset.

Hon. Daniel Fornah, Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District, praised Orange SL for prioritizing inclusivity in its service delivery. Drawing on his 18 years in the telecom sector, he called the project “a remarkable step in breaking Tonkolili’s long-standing digital isolation.”

“For years, companies viewed Tonkolili as unviable for telecom investment. Today, Orange has proven that narrative wrong,” he said.

He emphasized that connectivity would drive economic growth, job creation, and improved public services, and commended Minister Salima Bah for her leadership in expanding national ICT access.

In his remarks, CEO Sekou Amadou Bah described the launch as “a major milestone in Orange’s journey to connect and empower every community across Sierra Leone.”

He thanked the Government of Sierra Leone, NaTCA, and the Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation for their support, and reaffirmed Orange’s role as a development partner.

“This launch is more than network expansion, it’s about creating access: to education, business, and a better quality of life,” he said.

The new site will deliver faster internet and stronger mobile coverage to thousands across Tonkolili, including Magburaka, Bumbuna, Mile 91, and Yele. Bah emphasized that digital connectivity empowers youth, facilitates financial inclusion, and fuels innovation.

Highlighting Orange’s progress, Bah revealed that the company now operates over 616 sites nationwide, with 70% powered by green energy, in line with the Orange Group’s net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2040.

“In 2025 alone, we’ve built 40 new sites and invested over US$50 million to modernize our network. All sites are 4G-enabled and 5G-ready,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister Salima Bah reiterated the Government’s commitment to expanding digital access nationwide. She emphasized that communication is no longer a privilege but a basic human right, essential to education, innovation, and development.

“Connectivity should not be for a few privileged people in urban areas,” she said. “Every Sierra Leonean, regardless of location or income, deserves the right to communicate and access information.” She praised Mathonkra’s local leadership for supporting the project and urged communities to protect the infrastructure.

“This site is a major investment. If you protect it, the company will reinvest and expand more. That’s how national growth happens,” she added.

Minister Bah linked the initiative to President Julius Maada Bio’s digital inclusion agenda, launched in 2018, which aims to ensure every chiefdom in Sierra Leone has reliable mobile and internet access. She also announced plans to expand ICT training, digital literacy programs, and install technology-equipped schools and health centers in underserved areas.

“Mathonkra is just the beginning. We will continue to partner with the private sector to ensure no community is left behind in the digital revolution,” she said.

The ceremony concluded with the official activation of the new network site, symbolizing the dawn of a new digital era for Mathonkra and surrounding communities.