By Hajaratu S. Bangura
The government of President Julius Maada Bio has unveiled the proposed blueprint to transform Lungi into a modern economic hub, anchoring a nationwide redistricting project designed to overhaul local governance and public service delivery.
Speaking at the Lungi Civic Day Series on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at St. Augustine School in Tintafor, Lungi, the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Tamba Lamina, presented the Proposed Lungi City Map to local authorities, residents and students.
The map outlines a structured master plan, designed alongside the Ministry of Planning and Housing, that expands borders across Kaffu Bullom and neighboring communities to eliminate unplanned urban growth.
“The proposed Lungi City will cover a vast area,” Minister Lamina informed. “We are currently working on the mapping process. This will be a new city that we will manage together.”
The blueprint deliberately zones areas for schools, shopping malls and recreational facilities. The long-term vision positions Lungi as a premier “Gateway City”—a designated Special Economic Zone slated to host a new university, a National Conference Centre and the highly anticipated Lungi Bridge linking the northern peninsula directly to Freetown.
“This will be a city of diplomacy, economic prosperity, commerce, and travel,” Lamina emphasized. “This is not about politics; this is about how we look at our country to ensure holistic development.”
Beyond Lungi, the Minister explained that the national redistricting initiative updates the post-war decentralization reforms of 2004 to address intense demographic pressures. He noted that Freetown’s population has skyrocketed from 400,000 residents decades ago to nearly 1.5 million today.
To manage this shift, the administration’s second-phase reforms propose creating two new districts—Bandajuma and Kpanguma – alongside additional local councils for the Western Urban and Western Rural districts.
“We decided to embark on a second phase of reorganization to improve service delivery and ensure that the actual voices of the people are heard,” Minister Lamina said.
With technical and consultative phases complete, the final report will be presented to the President and the Attorney General before being laid before Parliament as a statutory instrument. Once approved via presidential proclamation, the Ministry of Finance will allocate funds to operationalize the new districts and the modern Lungi City.