Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has successfully negotiated a historic $5 million deal with China’s Diming Yimo Printing Company, marking a major step towards modernising the country’s printing industry. The goal of this historic agreement is to modernise the Government Printing Press and turn it into a cutting-edge, digital facility that can meet regional and national printing demands.
A significant step forward in Sierra Leone’s continuous efforts to improve public infrastructure and raise the calibre of state printing services is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed during Minister Bah’s official visit to Beijing. The agreement states that Diming Yimo will supply cutting-edge printing machinery, dispatch technical specialists to train local staff, and help create a specialised national printing training institute. The long-term capacity building of the local workforce is the goal of this initiative.
The chairman of Diming Yimo, Mr. Qing Shuang Meng, was upbeat about the project and said that operations should start in three months. He underlined the company’s goal of making Sierra Leone the standard for contemporary printmaking in West Africa. Mr. Meng said, “This is not just another printing facility.” “We are constructing a regional centre that will establish new benchmarks for printmaking throughout West Africa.”
Minister Bah praised the collaboration as a strategic turning point that supports President Julius Maada Bio’s goals for industrial growth and digital transformation. “This historic agreement will assist us in modernising Sierra Leone’s printing sector,” he said. “It’s about bringing a vital industry into the digital era, meeting local needs, boosting government revenue, and fostering long-term local knowledge.”
Diming Yimo’s state-of-the-art printing facility in Beijing was also visited by the Sierra Leonean delegation, which included Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education Mr. Andrew Kamara, Government Printer Mr. Salifu Suma, and Ambassador to China Dr. Abu Bakarr Karim. Minister Bah stated that the delegation’s faith in the partnership’s ability to bring about significant and long-lasting change for the country was strengthened by seeing their operations firsthand.
In addition to signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Minister Bah proposed a collaborative project involving the Government of Sierra Leone, regional universities, and the Beijing Institute of Graphics and Communication (BIGC). This proposal was accepted by the institute, opening the door for further collaborations in technical training and education.
In addition to modernising Sierra Leone’s printing infrastructure, this strategic partnership has the potential to boost domestic production capacity, generate skilled employment opportunities, and position the nation as a regional leader in printing and publishing technology.
