Taking the Mining discourse to another level: Patriotism Must Be Grounded in Reality: The Mining Sector Is Not That Simple
By Brima Sannoh
It must be stated from the onset that this writer is no less patriotic than those loudly calling for a Sierra Leonean takeover of the mining sector. The passion to see Sierra Leoneans thrive and take ownership of our country’s wealth is shared. However, patriotism must be rooted in realism not romanticism. The growing chorus in the media suggesting that Sierra Leoneans should take over the mining sector with minimal room for foreign involvement is emotionally stirring, but dangerously simplistic.
An article recently published declared: “Over the years, the Sierra Leone Government has found itself entangled in mining agreements that, rather than uplifting the nation, have largely favored foreign interests and left the country worse off economically.”
While there is some truth to the frustrations surrounding past mining agreements, blaming foreign companies solely for the country’s economic woes and assuming local control is the magical solution is misleading and unproductive.
Mining is not a plug-and-play business. It is capital-intensive, technology-driven and highly specialized. Foreign companies dominate because they bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, state-of-the-art machinery and international expertise. These are not luxuries; they are necessities. The reality is that most Sierra Leonean businesses, regardless of how patriotic or well-intentioned, lack the resources and infrastructure to undertake such large-scale operations without significant risk.
This is not to say capable Sierra Leoneans don’t exist. We do have successful business figures, some mentioned frequently in these debates. But success in construction, banking or retail is vastly different from running a mining operation that spans exploration, excavation, processing and export logistics. The skills, capital and regulatory requirements are on a different scale entirely. Some Sierra Leoneans with the means have consciously chosen not to invest in mining not due to lack of opportunity, but due to the high risk and complexity involved.
Let’s also talk about the regulatory environment. Licensing procedures are bureaucratically heavy, time-consuming and expensive. Even seasoned foreign companies struggle with this. For a local entrepreneur, the barriers are even higher. Add to this the shortage of trained geologists, engineers and compliance professionals and it becomes clear that the challenges are not just financial; they are systemic.
Calls for an outright “takeover” by Sierra Leoneans gloss over these realities. They reduce a deeply technical, economic and legal challenge into a matter of emotional patriotism. If we are serious about empowering Sierra Leoneans, the focus should be on reforms that improve access to finance, simplify regulatory processes, strengthen technical education and enforce local content laws that encourage meaningful partnerships not symbolic ownership.
This is not to argue against local participation; far from it. What Sierra Leone needs is a strategic approach that prepares our people to lead in the mining sector with the right tools, training and support. Knee-jerk decisions and populist narratives might win headlines, but they won’t build a sustainable mining industry.
Loving one’s country does not mean ignoring hard truths. It means acknowledging them and working through them intelligently.
Let’s strive for a mining sector where Sierra Leoneans rise through capability, not just rhetoric. That is true patriotism and that is the legacy we should be fighting for.
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