According to the Bank’s website, this project, Digital Innovation for Government Efficiency and Sector Transformation (DIGEST), leverages digital solutions to enhance governance, improve aid coordination, and catalyze economic transformation in transition states. Sierra Leone and The Gambia, both grappling with high poverty rates (59.2% and 53.4%, respectively), face structural inefficiencies exacerbated by declining Official Development Assistance (ODA), which fell globally by 4% in 2023 alone. Without more effective coordination mechanisms, fragmented and duplicative donor interventions persist, limiting impact and sustainability. The project in Sierra Leone and the Gambia will focus on two key initiatives. First, it will enhance the coordination of development finance by creating a centralized digital platform to improve aid efficiency and optimize resource use. In addition, the project will include a detailed assessment and technical assistance of the Felei Tech City, poised to become Sierra Leone’s premier technology and innovation hub and support the implementation of the Fintech policy and digital literacy/capacity building program in the Gambia.

The project development objective is to enhance the country’s governance and economic efficiency by leveraging digital technologies, as stated in the countries' National Development Plans. Specifically, the project aims to improve the coordination of development finance, ensuring better use of limited resources by minimizing inefficiencies and overlapping efforts. Additionally, it seeks to boost the capacity of government institutions and the private sector—particularly MSMEs—by increasing digital literacy and skills, essential for improving operational efficiency and productivity and ultimately fostering economic growth. By addressing critical challenges such as outdated technology and youth unemployment, the project will help Sierra Leone and the Gambia make strides toward digital transformation, leading to more efficient public services, robust governance, and a more competitive private sector.

Environmental Category: [1] High Risk

Finance Type: Standard grant
Commitments (UA): 1,000,000
Conversion Rate USD (2025-09-29): 1,33816

Name: Uyoyo EDOSIO
Email: u.edosio@afdb.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/request-for-documents. Under the AfDBÕs Disclosure and Access to Information policy, if you feel the Bank has omitted to publish information or your request for information is unreasonably denied, you can file an appeal at https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/appeals-process.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/