Audit Service and SLEITI Sign a Landmark MoU to Strengthen Transparency

The Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) and the Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (SLEITI) have signed a strategic partnership to improve the transparency, accountability, and credibility of reporting in the country’s extractive industries. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the ASSL’s Conference Room in Freetown.
The agreement allows ASSL and SLEITI to collaborate more closely on producing EITI-compliant reports, aligning Sierra Leone’s disclosure practices with international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) standards. SLEITI is the national chapter of the global EITI framework, which promotes transparent and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resources.

Auditor-General Abdul Aziz, speaking at the signing ceremony, described the MoU as evidence of both institutions’ shared commitment to good governance in the management of Sierra Leone’s natural resources. He stated that the collaboration will strengthen systems for tracking and reporting extractive-sector revenues while also improving the overall credibility of EITI reporting in the country.
Under the new arrangement, the ASSL will serve as Independent Administrator for the production of Sierra Leone’s 2024-2025 EITI Report, meeting Requirement 4.8 of the EITI Standard. This role entails carrying out scoping exercises, collecting and analysing sector data, identifying discrepancies and gaps, and making practical recommendations to improve reporting and oversight.
Mr Aziz explained that the changes in ASSL’s responsibilities necessitate a clear separation of duties. Previously, ASSL-certified reporting templates were provided by mining companies, government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), and chiefdom authorities. With the new role as Independent Administrator, the ASSL will no longer certify the same templates that it will evaluate, emphasising the principle that an institution cannot prepare, certify, and audit the same evidence at the same time.
“As an institution tasked with promoting accountability and transparency in public finance management, ASSL’s transition to Independent Administrator will strengthen independence and objectivity in EITI reporting,” Mr Aziz stated. He emphasised the organisation’s willingness to use its technical expertise to ensure that disclosures about revenue flows, licenses, production, and related governance issues are thorough and reliable.
SLEITI’s National Coordinator, Mohamed Baimba Koroma, described the MoU as a historic collaboration that leverages both institutions’ complementary strengths to support national development and strengthen governance in the extractive sector. He emphasised the broad scope of EITI reporting, which includes information on legal and institutional frameworks, contracts and licenses, production and exports, revenue collection and allocation, the sector’s economic contributions, and environmental, social, and governance concerns.
Mr Koroma stated that SLEITI regards the ASSL as technically capable, credible, and free of conflicts of interest when it comes to handling sensitive sectoral information, and he is confident in the ASSL’s ability to carry out the Independent Administrator mandate. He went on to say that this collaboration will help Sierra Leone meet its EITI commitments while also improving the quality and reliability of published data.
Civil society organisations (CSOs), which play an important role in the EITI multi-stakeholder process, were also recognised at the ceremony. Auditor-General Aziz praised CSOs for their persistent advocacy and constructive participation, stating that their involvement is still critical to ensuring transparency and accountability in the sector.
Deputy Auditor-General Morie Lansana praised SLEITI for its progress in improving governance in Sierra Leone’s extractive industries. He observed that ASSL’s strong professional reputation and track record of independent oversight paved the way for greater collaboration between the two organisations. “The people’s trust in the ASSL continues to inspire us to stay committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and effective oversight in the extractive industries sector,” Mr Lansana said.
By formalising roles and responsibilities through the MoU, ASSL and SLEITI hope to increase public trust in Sierra Leone’s mineral and hydrocarbon resources management. The partnership’s goal is to close information gaps, improve data integrity, and provide concrete recommendations that governments, industries, and other stakeholders can use to improve governance and accountability.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks a new chapter in the relationship between the two institutions. It is expected that increased collaboration will not only help to produce high-quality EITI reports on time in 2024-2025, but will also contribute to long-term improvements in sectoral transparency and public oversight of extractive revenues.