UADF Celebrated for Lighting Up Sierra Leone
By Abdul Rahman Bah
Across Sierra Leone, applause is growing for the Universal Access Development Fund (UADF), the institution that has taken the bold step of giving voice and visibility to rural communities once forgotten at the edge of the map. From its humble beginnings in 2018, inheriting just four towers with no guaranteed revenue, UADF has now earned the spotlight for proving that connectivity is not a privilege for the cities alone, but a right for every Sierra Leonean.
At its Wilberforce headquarters, Managing Director Marie Momoh proudly recounted a journey of struggle and triumph. For years, the Fund had little to work with d yet it persevered. Then came Parliament’s breakthrough regulation in 2019, introducing a 0.75% levy on Mobile Network Operators, alongside contributions from NaTCA and BRACCO. That lifeline allowed UADF to dream bigger, and today those dreams stand tall as towers in places where villagers once had to climb hills to make a phone call.
Since 2022, UADF has completed five new towers, with three more almost ready to go. Each tower is more than steel and antennas—it is the gateway to education for children logging into online lessons, a lifeline for farmers checking market prices before taking their goods to town, and a bridge for families separated by miles of bad roads but now reunited by voice and video calls. Community Technical Centres, equipped with computers and the internet, have also sprung up, turning rural towns into digital classrooms and community hubs. Smartphones and feature phones distributed by UADF ensure no one is left behind.
This transformation has not gone unnoticed. During an oversight visit on 26th August 2025, the Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Technology, and Innovation led by Honourable Boston Munda, heaped praise on UADF. Munda called the Fund “Parliament’s baby” and commended the progress in Moyamba, Benducha, and other areas where connectivity is no longer a dream but a daily reality. He stressed that while mobile operators often resist higher contributions, their businesses ultimately benefit from UADF towers once constructed, making it only fair that they give more back.
Managing Director Momoh, while grateful for the recognition, appealed for even stronger support. She urged Parliament to consider raising the operator levy from 0.75% to 1%, arguing that donor fatigue is real and only a sustainable homegrown solution will keep the digital revolution alive. Towers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each, and the demand is far greater than the resources available.
Still, the mood was one of celebration. MPs toured UADF’s data centre and witnessed firsthand the beating heart of the Fund’s operations. There was an unmistakable sense of pride that UADF, once struggling in silence, has become the torchbearer of Sierra Leone’s rural digital future.
Today, UADF stands as a symbol of resilience and determination. Its story is no longer just about funding gaps and challenges—it is about progress, courage, and a vision that every Sierra Leonean, from Freetown to the farthest border village, deserves to be connected. The Fund has proven that with commitment and partnership, Sierra Leone’s digital divide can be closed, one tower and one community at a time.
