By Lemuella Tarawallie
Orange Sierra Leone (OSL) on Friday 6 February 2026 held its annual media engagement under the theme: “Connecting with the Media, Sharing Our Story.”
The engagement, which took place at the company’s Hill Station headquarters in Freetown, was aimed at strengthening the long-standing relationship between Orange Sierra Leone and the media, while providing a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the sharing of the company’s vision for digital growth and service excellence.
Welcoming participants the Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Madam Aisha Toure, described the engagement as a pleasure and noted that it was her first media interaction since assuming office. She acknowledged the critical role of the media in promoting transparency, accountability, and informed citizenship.
Madam Toure praised the strong foundation laid by her predecessor in network expansion, digital inclusion, and corporate social responsibility, and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving service quality, expanding network coverage, and ensuring regulatory compliance with customer satisfaction at the core of its operations.
The Proprietor and Managing Editor of Owl Newspaper and former Commissioner of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), Alhaji Dauda Bangura, welcomed participants and dignitaries, including the Minister of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) Chernor Bah; former and current Presidents of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Kevin Lewis and Alhaji Manika Kamara; and representatives from the IMC and media institutions.
On behalf of Orange Sierra Leone’s media partners, Mr Bangura expressed appreciation to the company for its consistent support to the media and the people of Sierra Leone. He highlighted OSL’s initiatives, including capacity-building programmes, sponsorships, and digital training opportunities for journalists, noting that these efforts enhance access to information, technology, and innovation in reporting.
Mr Bangura also commended OSL’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, particularly its expansion of Orange Money services and provision of affordable telecommunications services nationwide.
Speaking at the event, the President of SLAJ, Alhaji Manika Kamara, described Orange Sierra Leone as “a strategic and dependable partner of the media”. He noted that the annual engagement reflected the company’s commitment to journalists’ welfare and media development. Mr Kamara highlighted OSL’s sponsorship of SLAJ activities, contributions to the SLAJ Welfare Fund, and scholarship opportunities for journalists pursuing postgraduate studies.
The SLAJ President also praised OSL’s support for the SLAJ Media Awards and reaffirmed SLAJ’s commitment to strengthening the partnership, particularly in digital safety, media innovation, and capacity building for female journalists.
The engagement concluded with renewed commitments from all stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, promote ethical communication, and jointly advance digital transformation and media development in Sierra Leone.