Sierra Leone has launched a national campaign aimed at helping citizens identify deepfakes and other manipulated digital content as artificial intelligence becomes more influential in public life.

Table Of Content

Focus on verification and responsible use
Security and public information concerns
Government and media responsibilities

The Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Awareness Campaign was launched on 16 September 2026 at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. It is being led by the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, with support from the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.

The initiative is financed through the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project, with the World Bank serving as a financing partner. Representatives of government, security institutions, media organisations, technology companies and civil society attended the launch.

Focus on verification and responsible use

Participants examined the opportunities associated with artificial intelligence, or AI, alongside the risks posed by deepfakes and other forms of synthetic or manipulated media. The campaign is intended to strengthen public understanding of AI, improve digital resilience and encourage responsible use of technology.

Jasper Sembie, Director of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, said hate speech and misinformation could spread rapidly online. He said people with limited knowledge of AI and deepfake technology could be vulnerable to manipulation.

Kumba Liliana Musa, Project Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project, said the campaign would address both the potential benefits and harms of AI while helping citizens develop practical responses. She described “Verify before you share” as one of the campaign’s key principles.

Musa also said the Digital Transformation Project was investing in connectivity, digital skills, cybersecurity and digital public services. She said the awareness initiative was not intended to create fear around artificial intelligence.

Security and public information concerns

Francis Langumba Keili, Chief of Staff and Professional Head of the Office of National Security, said AI could support development in public services, education, healthcare, agriculture, research and productivity. He also warned that the technology could be misused to produce convincing false audio, images, videos and documents.

Keili said deepfakes and synthetic media could have implications for election security and national security. He called for early-warning mechanisms to detect and assess information threats, as well as stronger institutional preparedness to verify digital content, protect official accounts, correct false information and coordinate responses to emerging threats.

Mohamed Jalloh, Technical Director, said AI was increasingly influencing governance, economic growth and access to information and public services. He cautioned that technologies such as voice cloning and synthetic images and videos could make fraud and impersonation more sophisticated.

Jalloh said Sierra Leone intended to develop the skills, institutions, data and innovation ecosystem needed to participate meaningfully in the global AI economy.

Government and media responsibilities

Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah said artificial intelligence was “here to stay” and that Sierra Leone needed to embrace its opportunities while addressing its risks. He said the campaign would help citizens use AI ethically and recognise potentially manipulated information.

Bah called for policies to guide the responsible use of artificial intelligence and urged media institutions to develop internal AI and deepfake verification policies.

He also said the government was set to introduce a centralised platform for government press releases, public announcements and appointments. The source material does not specify when that platform will be launched.

The campaign’s duration, geographic coverage, budget and measurable targets have not been provided. Details of the proposed early-warning mechanisms are also not yet available.