A World Bank visiting team is spearheading an Implementation Support Mission to the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project (SLLAP), with engagements currently underway in Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, Port Loko District. The mission forms part of the World Bank’s ongoing support to Sierra Leone’s efforts to strengthen land administration, improve land governance and enhance land-related services across the country.
The Sierra Leone Land Administration Project is supporting the National Land Commission (NLC) to implement title registration as prescribed by the National Land Commission Act of 2022. Bakeh Loko is one of three pilot chiefdoms for the mapping, recording and registration process, making the chiefdom a critical testing ground as Sierra Leone races toward the nationwide rollout of title registration.
As part of the mission, the team held engagements with officials at the National Land Commission before proceeding to Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, where it paid a courtesy visit on the Paramount Chief, PC Adikali Miller OPapa III, and engaged with members of the Village and Chiefdom Land Committees.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the mission team to interact with key stakeholders at the community level and gain firsthand insight into the implementation of Project activities, including progress, challenges and areas requiring further support. It also allowed community land reform champions to share their experiences and perspectives on the reforms.
The Implementation Support Mission will continue its engagements and review of various components of the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project, with the aim of assessing implementation progress, identifying emerging issues and supporting the effective delivery of the Project’s objectives.
The mission’s rationale is rooted in ensuring that land reforms are not only designed at the national level but are also grounded in the realities of communities where land is a critical social and economic asset. Lessons from Bakeh Loko and the other pilot chiefdoms are expected to inform the national process, helping to test systems, strengthen community engagement and resolve land governance issues before wider implementation.
The legal foundation for these efforts is set out in the National Land Commission Act, 2022. Section 58 of the Act provides that “Title to Land in Sierra Leone shall be registered with the National Land Commission.” The Act further establishes, under Section 57, a National Land Registry, and under Section 23, a Title Registry Department headed by a Commissioner, tasked with operating a land title registry throughout Sierra Leone. These provisions form the statutory basis for the title registration system that SLLAP is supporting the NLC to deliver.
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