NPRA DG Highlights Key Fuel Sector Reforms
By Emmanuel S Conteh
At the recent Government Weekly Press Briefing held on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Miatta Conference Centre, Youyi Building, Brima Baluwa Koroma, Director General of the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA), delivered a comprehensive update on the significant reforms underway in Sierra Leone’s petroleum sector. Highlighting the agency’s evolution from the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) to the fully empowered NPRA, DG Koroma addressed ongoing concerns about fuel pricing disparities and detailed the strides made in strengthening the nation’s energy infrastructure.
The transformation from PRA to NPRA, Koroma explained, marks a pivotal “fast-track graduation” in regulatory capacity that equips the authority to better regulate and develop the petroleum industry. Reflecting on the state of the sector five years ago, he painted a stark picture of chronic fuel shortages that forced frequent imports and imposed rationing limits on fuel dealers
resulting in disruptions that burdened consumers and hindered economic activity.
Since President Julius Maada Bio’s administration took office, the NPRA has championed a visionary reform agenda with three core pillars: market liberalization, expansion of downstream infrastructure, and safeguarding government petroleum revenues. DG Koroma reported that daily fuel consumption has surged from one million litres to 1.3 million litres, supported by a storage capacity of 278,000 tons
more than double what existed half a decade ago. These developments have propelled the petroleum sector to contribute roughly 12% of government revenue, with steady growth sustained since 2018.
A key achievement of the NPRA has been revising the fuel pricing formula, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank, to align with international best practices. DG Koroma addressed public confusion regarding price variations at fuel stations by clarifying that the NPRA enforces a price ceiling of NLe 27.4 per litre nationwide. He urged citizens to report any outlets charging beyond this limit. Remarkably, Sierra Leone remains one of the few countries globally to maintain uniform fuel pricing across its entire territory, a policy designed to protect consumers from regional price gouging.
The introduction of the new NPRA Act has been instrumental in institutionalizing reforms. Replacing the outdated 2014 PRA Act, the new legislation empowers the NPRA with stronger mandates, including maintaining strategic government fuel reserves and requiring licensed operators to hold minimum stock levels. According to DG Koroma, these provisions have increased product availability to six to seven weeks of stock
an unprecedented buffer ensuring consistent supply and mitigating risks of shortages.
Furthermore, the Act has democratized market entry by raising the number of licensed fuel dealers from three to ten, welcoming increased participation from local entrepreneurs and youth-led businesses. This has fostered healthy competition, which Koroma said explains why some dealers are now selling below the ceiling price a development unheard of before these reforms.
DG Koroma also called on the media and civil society to support the NPRA’s efforts by avoiding misinformation that could undermine consumer confidence or market stability. He challenged the press to find any prior examples of voluntary price reductions in the sector, emphasizing that today’s competitive pricing reflects a more transparent and responsive market.
Concluding his remarks, the NPRA Director General appealed for public collaboration to sustain the progress made, underscoring that the elimination of fuel rationing and market distortions has paved the way for a reliable, accessible petroleum sector. “Let us work together to protect the interest of the public,” he urged, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to securing Sierra Leone’s energy future.
