In a strong show of leadership transition and renewed policy direction, the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA) has laid out an ambitious roadmap to transform Sierra Leone’s petroleum sector into a competitive, transparent, and investor-driven industry.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the NPRA headquarters in Freetown, newly appointed Director General Brima Baluwa Koroma—formerly the institution’s Board Chairman—outlined sweeping reforms aimed at improving price regulation, enhancing supply reliability, and boosting investor confidence.
Koroma’s appointment follows the tenure of outgoing Chairman Michael H. Kendoh Baimba, who expressed full confidence in his successor. Baimba commended Koroma’s leadership in liberalizing the downstream petroleum sector, describing the transition as “a change in responsibility, not a farewell.”
“When we started in 2019, the NPRA had only three registered oil marketing companies,” Baimba recalled. “Today, due to strategic reforms, we’ve broken monopolies and created a competitive market environment.”
Koroma, in his new role as Director General, pledged to build on that legacy with a five-point strategic framework focused on pricing, access, supply, enforcement, and investment. Among the key reforms he announced are:
• Enforcement of price ceilings and implementation of full pass-through pricing to ensure fairness for both consumers and investors.
• Non-discriminatory access to key petroleum infrastructure such as storage facilities.
• Mandatory minimum stock levels for all petroleum operators to prevent fuel shortages.
• Nationwide compliance checks and crackdown on illegal pricing, inaccurate dispensing, and undercutting.
• Investment incentives for both local and foreign companies through a streamlined regulatory environment.
“NPRA is the only legal authority to compute and announce fuel prices,” Koroma emphasized. “We will no longer tolerate fraudulent pricing or unauthorized figures circulated by operators or media outlets.”
He added that the liberalization of the petroleum market must be protected from backlash, stating, “An open market with qualified players is the only sustainable path to affordability, availability, and improved service delivery.”
Koroma also made a direct appeal to media practitioners, urging them to focus on developmental reporting and partner with the NPRA in promoting transparency and accountability.
“We’re not just setting fuel prices—we’re shaping a petroleum economy that serves the public interest from storage to pump,” he said.
Looking ahead, Koroma announced plans for a nationwide compliance monitoring exercise and public outreach campaign aimed at deepening awareness and improving regulatory performance. “We are taking this reform to the streets. Our people deserve full value for every litre they purchase,” he declared.
With his background in public administration, legal regulation, and petroleum governance, Koroma’s appointment signals a determined push toward institutional efficiency and sector transformation.
As the NPRA sets its sights on becoming a regional model for petroleum sector governance, both outgoing Chairman Baimba and Director General Koroma affirmed their shared vision: to deliver a petroleum industry that is transparent, inclusive, and anchored in national development.
By Feima Sesay
