Salima Monorma Bah

Haja Salima Monorma Bah is a Sierra Leonean politician and lawyer serving as the inaugural Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation since 31 July 2023. Appointed by President Julius Maada Bio, she became the first person to head the newly created ministry and, at age 32, the youngest member of the cabinet at the time of her appointment.

Early life and education Bah pursued legal studies in the United Kingdom, earning a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Wales (Holborn College) between 2011 and 2013.

Concurrently with her ministerial appointment, she completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with Honours in Intellectual Property and Technology Law at Columbia Law School, New York, in 2023.

Career Legal career Following her qualification, Bah was attached to the Prosecution Division of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Justice, where she gained experience in criminal prosecutions and the formulation of legal opinions. She later moved to the role of State Counsel at the Law Officers Department.

She is an active member of the Sierra Leone Bar Association and serves as an executive member of Lawyers for Women and Children, a non-profit organisation established to defend the rights of women and children.

Her ministerial mandate encompasses the government's digital transformation agenda, national digital economy strategy, innovation entrepreneurship development, and oversight of the telecommunications sector.

Digital infrastructure and connectivity Under her tenure, the Sierra Leonean government and development partners committed over US$200 million in investments towards digital infrastructure, spanning connectivity, digital governance and innovation ecosystems. Notable achievements during this period include the introduction of Starlink satellite internet service and the launch of the first Stand-Alone 5G Open Access Network in West Africa.

International engagement Bah has represented Sierra Leone at numerous international forums, including:

Co-presenting with the co-founder of the Giga initiative at the ITU SDG Digital Event to explore digital connectivity solutions for schools; Speaking at the DIGITAL@UNGA Anchor Event at United Nations Headquarters, New York, on connectivity and the Giga initiative (September 2025).

She also led a delegation to Nigeria for technology collaboration and was interviewed by Arise News Television and Channels Television in Nigeria.

UNICEF Generation Unlimited Global Leadership Council — Serves as a member of the Global Leadership Council of the UNICEF Generation Unlimited partnership, which mobilises resources and leadership for youth empowerment.