The management of ZOODLABS has categorically confirmed that it has fully complied with both fiscal and non-fiscal provisions of its concession agreement with the government of Sierra Leone.
This clarification was made following the Auditor General’s report claiming that ZOODLABS has not fulfilled its financial obligation to the government. The management of ZOODLABS said this was untrue, noting that the auditor general did not contact them to seek clarification.
“Regarding the payments made to, and on behalf of, the Government of Sierra Leone from the proceeds of the ACE Cable Landing Station commercialisation, operation, and management, we make the following statements:
Concession Fees
Between January 2021 and December 2024, ZOODLABS made total payments amounting to NLe 97,755,694.00 million. These payments covered the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), the Digital Development Fund (DDF), and authorised expenses related to the erstwhile SALCAB staff and Board emoluments, as well as transition expenditures for the establishment of the National Fibre Transmission Company (NFTC).
Regulatory Fees
ZOODLABS paid NLe 13,100,000.00 to the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) for the commercial operation of the cable landing station. This marks the first time the regulator has demanded such payment since the infrastructure was deployed in 2012/13.
Taxes
Since commencing operations in January 2021, ZOODLABS has paid a total of NLe 88,371,216.78 to the National Revenue Authority (NRA) in respect of GST and other taxes. This is in stark contrast to the eight years prior, during which no tax payments were made under various SALCAB administrations.
ZOODLABS also uncovered substantial tax liabilities that had accrued under previous administrations.
As of December 2024, the cumulative total payments made by ZOODLABS to various Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) bodies stand at NLe199,226,909. These payments, alongside the improvements in market performance and service quality, demonstrate the positive impact of the Government’s partnership with ZOODLABS. Notably, this collaboration has resulted in government revenue earnings, which were largely non-existent during the eight years the assets were under SALCAB’s direct control.”
Management of ZOODLABS has expressed concern over the negative publicity arising from errors in the Auditor General’s report. The company believes this has affected our corporate image and is committed to initiating more robust discussions with government partners to prevent such issues in the future.
“We also call on media partners to verify information with the company before publication. ZOODLABS will not tolerate efforts aimed at extortion or blackmail from media organisations and reserves the right to pursue legal action if it feels unfairly targeted or defamed,” Management of ZOODLABS said in a statement.
They said the company remains steadfast in upholding the highest standards of corporate governance practices.
“We reiterate our commitment to full transparency and strict compliance with both the terms of our concession agreement and all relevant national legal and regulatory frameworks,” ZOODLABS Management said.