By Alusine Sesay
Freetown, March 18, 2026 — When President Dr. Julius Maada Bio assumed office in 2018, he established Commissions of Inquiry to investigate corruption, mismanagement, and abuse of public office. Their mandate was clear: restore accountability, transparency, and good governance in Sierra Leone. The commissions documented widespread malfeasance and urged both government and citizens to learn from their findings. Yet, the handling of Sierra Leone’s passport contract with Netpage (SL) Limited reveals how those lessons remain unheeded.
A Test Case for Accountability
The commissions were designed to ensure that public contracts and governance decisions adhered to constitutional standards. But the renewal of the Netpage passport contract in 2023 — without Cabinet approval or parliamentary ratification — has become a glaring example of constitutional disregard. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) described the move as “gross negligence and bastardisation of the 1991 Constitution,” faulting the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Immigration Department for bypassing established procedures.
Financial and Constitutional Breaches
Originally ratified by Parliament in 2013, the Netpage contract expired in 2023. Instead of presenting a revised agreement for approval, officials extended it for another five years. Audit reports flagged unpaid royalties amounting to at least USD 1.1 million, while the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) estimated that passport sales have generated over USD 70 million since 2016 — with little or no revenue accruing to the state.
Netpage itself argued that royalty payments imposed by the Ministry of Finance were unconstitutional, since they were never part of the original parliamentary-approved contract. In 2023, the company even requested a refund of Le 5.2 billion (USD 250,000) in royalties paid the previous year.
Security Risks and Public Outcry
Beyond finances, the scandal touches on national security. Reports have surfaced of Sierra Leonean passports being found in the hands of criminals abroad, raising questions about oversight and integrity in the issuance of one of the country’s most sensitive sovereign documents.
Civil society groups and citizens are demanding reforms, calling for passport contracts to be publicly advertised and opened to competitive bidding. They argue that such transparency would strengthen security standards and ensure fairer revenue arrangements.
Mandates Ignored
The commissions of inquiry were meant to prevent precisely this kind of governance failure. Their findings underscored the need for constitutional compliance and accountability in public contracts. Yet, the Netpage case demonstrates how entrenched practices of bypassing Parliament and Cabinet continue to undermine Sierra Leone’s democratic institutions.
The Bigger Picture
IGR warns that the passport saga reflects a broader pattern of “business elites capturing bureaucratic institutions” and influencing procurement decisions for private gain. Such practices erode institutional integrity and betray the very principles the commissions were established to protect.
Unanswered Questions
As Sierra Leoneans demand clarity, critical questions remain:
- Why was the contract renewed without Cabinet or parliamentary approval?
- Who authorised its continuation after expiration?
- What is the total financial loss to taxpayers?
- And most importantly, will the government finally act on the lessons of the Commissions of Inquiry?
The passport scandal is more than a contractual dispute. It is a test of Sierra Leone’s commitment to the mandates of its Commissions of Inquiry — and whether the fight against corruption and abuse of office will be more than words on paper.