Ministry of Finance — Fiscal Decentralization
Research Assistant (2004–05), then Economist / Programme Manager, Local Government Development Grants (2005–09)
World Bank Institutional Reform & Capacity Building Project, US$10m
- Public Finance
- Decentralization
- Community Development
Part of the pioneer team at the Ministry of Finance that introduced and operationalized fiscal decentralization in Sierra Leone. This went beyond a single grant mechanism: it helped establish the systems for local government financing, budgeting, planning, revenue mobilization and public expenditure management — at both local-council and national sector-ministry level. The foundation of Sierra Leone's fiscal decentralization that still operates today.
“Designing the country's first equitable local government allocation formula taught me decentralization only works when the money follows a fair, transparent rule.”
RPSDP — Rural & Private Sector Development Project
Grants Manager → Deputy Coordinator → National Coordinator, 2010–15
World Bank, US$50m
- Infrastructure
- Community Development
- Agriculture
184+ Farmer-Based Organisations funded; 971km feeder and link roads, 1,100+ culverts; 146+ communities reached with agro-processing support.
“Nearly a thousand kilometres of feeder roads taught me that infrastructure only pays off when it's paired with the institutions to use it.”
WAAPP-SL — West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme
Deputy Coordinator → National Coordinator, 2012–17
World Bank, Japan PHRD, ECOWAS, US$23m
- Agriculture
- Trade Facilitation
- Crisis Response
WAAPP was itself an ECOWAS-led, World Bank-financed regional programme, and he coordinated Sierra Leone's participation in it — working with CORAF, IITA, AfricaRice, national agricultural research systems across the subregion and other regional partners to build research capacity, develop improved technologies, and promote their exchange, dissemination and adoption across West Africa, alongside the trade facilitation and policy harmonization needed to move both across borders. Centrepiece of this work: establishing Sierra Leone as the subregion's designated centre of specialization for mangrove rice research — building the laboratories and research infrastructure, financing and providing technical assistance for the research programme, and training the research scientists who lead Sierra Leone's agricultural research system today. Also delivered: 14 new agricultural technologies (280% of target); 24 researchers trained; 175,600 beneficiaries; National Seed Board and seed-certification system established.
“Building a regional centre of specialisation for rice research from the ground up — while also running an emergency Ebola response — taught me institutions built for steady progress still have to pivot to crisis without losing the long-term work.”
SCADeP — Smallholder Commercialization & Agribusiness Development Project
National Project Coordinator, 2016–25
World Bank & DFID, US$71.8m
- Agriculture
- Infrastructure
- Trade Facilitation
- Decentralization
- Crisis Response
US$42m committed to roads and major bridges alongside a trade-facilitation component and decentralization work through local government. Smallholder incomes +76.5% across ~2,500 households in 15 districts; 155,632 beneficiaries, 44% women; 166km feeder roads, 457 culverts, 26 small bridges; Sierra Leone Agribusiness Development Fund and the first e-extension platform established.
“Running a $71.8 million programme where more than half the value went into roads and bridges taught me that agricultural transformation and infrastructure delivery are not separate jobs.”
