WEST AFRICAN MONETARY

INSTITUTE

INSTITUT MONETAIRE
L'AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST

WAMZ PAYMENTS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE GAMBIA,

GUINEA, LIBERIA AND SIERRA LEONE
PROGRESS REPORT

ACCRA, GHANA
NOVEMBER, 2013

DE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0

Introduction

2.0

1
Progress of Implementation by Component

2.1 RTGS/Scriptless Security Settlement Systems

1
1

2.2 Automated Clearing House/Automated Cheque Processing Systems

2
2.3

Core Banking Application

3.1

Activities in the Beneficiary Countries

2
The Gambia..

3.2

Sierra Leone.

3.3

Guinea.. 3

3.4

Liberia.. 3

3.0

4.0

Major Challenges
4
4.1
Financial Impact of Direct Payments Suspension by AfDB
4.2
4.3

5.0

Counterpart Funding

Project Closing Date 4

Conclusions

WAMZ PAYMENTS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT:

PROGRESS REPORT FOR AS AT NOVEMBER 2013

Introduction
The WAMZ Payments System Development Project in The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
funded by African Development Bank (AfDB) with UA19m (about $30m) is drawing to a close with
completion of the Project in The Gambia and Sierra Leone where all components have gone live and are
running efficiently. Implementation in Guinea and Liberia are also at various stages of completion. The
official launch of the Project in The Gambia and Sierra Leone is being organized by the National Central
Banks (NCBs) in collaboration with West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) and AfDB. Guinea golive is scheduled for End March, 2014 and Liberia End June 2014.
The main components of the project are:
Real Time Gross Settlements System and Scriptless Securities Settlement Systems (RTGS/SSS)
Automated Cheque Processing and Automated Clearing House (ACP/ACH) Systems
Core Banking Application (CBA)
Infrastructural Upgrade
This report would highlight the current status of the post go-live in The Gambia and Sierra Leone and
implementation of the main Components in Guinea and Liberia to date. In addition, the progress of
Infrastructural Upgrade in the two countries, challenges and the way forward is also discussed.
The organization is as follows:
Progress of implementation by components,
Infrastructural Upgrade in the Beneficiary Countries and challenges;
Outstanding Isuues; and
Conclusion
2.0 Progress of Implementation by Components
2.1 Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)/ Scriptless Securities Settlement (SSS) Systems
CMA Small Systems Limited (CMA), the Solution Provider for the RTGS and SSS systems component,
has completed the implementation of the RTGS/SSS system in The Gambia and Sierra Leone and are
operating without any major hitches since go-live in both countries. The initial teething problems with
SWIFT connectivity have been resolved and transactions are being carried out smoothly with real time
data replication at the Main and Disaster Recovery (DR) sites. The organization of the official launch of
the Project and operational acceptance is still in progress.

In Guinea, CMA has delivered and installed equipment to the Central Bank of Guinea (BCRG), while
Liberia is under validation and ordering process.

2.2 Automated Clearing House/Automated Cheque Processing Systems (ACH/ACP)

BFI, the Solution Provider for Automated Cheque Processing and Automated Clearing House
(ACP/ACH) had completed the project in The Gambia and Sierra Leone and both components have
recorded significant operational successes in both countries since going live in December 2011 and
August 2013, respectively. The ACP System is used to process paper instruments (mainly cheques),
while the ACH system clears electronic payments like cheque data captured from ACP system as well as
electronic direct debits and credits. The aggregated ACH transactions are settled in the RTGS system.
All these processes are done in real time through a seamless interface with other components. The post
implementation support ended successfully in The Gambia and will end in November 2013 in Sierra
Leone. The manual clearing window will continue in Sierra Leone until 31 st October 2013 for nonMICR encoded cheques and this decision has been communicated to all commercial banks by BSL. The
compilation of the Manual of Operation in line with the contract with the Solution Provider is ongoing
and would be completed before the end of post implementation support in Sierra Leone in November
2013.
Additionally, in line with the contract signed with BFI, the five year warranty period commenced in
December 2011 in The Gambia while it will commence in Sierra Leone by December 2013. BFI
currently maintains staff in the Sierra Leone to provide post go-live support to BSL and remote support
to The Gambia in line with signed Service Level Agreement (SLA).
In Guinea, BFI has commenced training in the Central Bank of Guinea
implementation as follows:
Expecte
d
Guinea deployment
Start
Date
Infrastructures delivery, reception and
17/10/20
installation
13
11/11/20
Training
13
06/01/20
General pilot site and parallel Run
14
Go-Live Guinea
3 months assistance

(BCRG) and has adjusted their

Expecte
d
End
Date
13/12/20
13
13/12/20
13
28/02/20
14

03/03/2014
03/03/20 04/06/20
14
14

In Liberia, BFI conducted a Project Kick-off and scoping in June 2013 and staff of the Central Bank of
Liberia (CBL) completed offshore training in Tunisia during the months of August and September 2013.
2.3 Core Banking Application (CBA)
Inlaks Computers Limited, the Solution Provider for the Core Banking Application, completed the
project in The Gambia and Sierra Leone and it has been running successfully since January 2012 and
June 2013, respectively. The system has operated successfully since implementation with seamless
interfaces with the ACH/ACP, RTGS and SSS components since it went live. The CBG has also
2

implemented and activated the Direct Credit Module for the direct payments of Government workers
salaries and pensions since February, 2013. The one year warranty period has ended however and the
five year hardware and software maintenance period has commenced.
In Sierra Leone, the Temenos T24 Core Banking Application went live on the 3 rd June 2013 at BSL and
has been running efficiently. It hosts the current accounts of BSL customers such as Commercial Banks,
Ministries, Departments, Agencies of Government and Special Projects, and also interfaces with all the
components of the Project seamlessly. The three month post go-live support has also been completed.
However, synchronization of the main and DR sites for real time data replication has not been completed
because of the delay in the deployment of SWIFT infrastructure to the DR site by BSL. The Sierra
Leonean authorities confirmed that the SWIFT equipment has been ordered and would be deployed as
soon as the equipment arrives in Sierra Leone.
In Guinea, Inlaks has delivered and installed equipment and onshore and offshore training has
commenced. The go-live date for Guinea has been re-scheduled for 24th February, 2014.
Inlaks would not resume implementation in Liberia until the completion of Infrastructural upgrade in
the country and they are committed to implement Liberia in parallel with Guinea as soon as Liberian
Infrastructural upgrade is completed.
3.0 Infrastructural Upgrade in the Beneficiary Countries and challenges
3.1 The Gambia
The Infrastructure Components in the Gambia have been operating without any setbacks since the
Solution Providers handed over the systems to the CBG. SWIFT is currently being used as the
messaging platform for T24 and RTGS/SSS transactions. In order to complete the failover solution,
CBG contracted Allied Engineering Group (AEG) to install its SmartDR Product to enable SWIFT
replication between the main and DR sites. The installation was successfully completed and CBG is
waiting for Inlaks and CMA to configure their systems at the DR site in order to interface with SWIFT
via the MQ Server Application.
3.2 Sierra Leone
The Infrastructural upgrade at the main and disaster recovery (DR) sites are completed with continuous
availability of power and connectivity. The DR site was constructed with a capacity to host servers and a
data centre that can accommodate up to thirty staff in the event of a disaster at the main site. All Solution
Providers have mobilized their equipment to the DR site, however CMA and Inlaks are yet to install
their workstations at the DR site. Switch over tests have been successfully completed by BFI and data
replication to the DR site is on real time basis.
3.3
Guinea
Delivery and installation of all equipment for Lots 1, 2 and 3 for all sites in Guinea has been completed
and the installation of the WIMAX link between the ETI SA and BCRG has also been completed. The
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) has been successfully tested between the BCRG and all Commercial
Banks.
3.4
Liberia
The Infrastructural upgrade was expected to have commenced with Lot 1 (Network Upgrade and
Reconfiguration) and Lot 3 (IT Room and Energy Upgrade) in July 2013 after the kick-off meetings, it
3

however did not commence as expected due to some misunderstanding of Project Scope between CBL
and The contractor, Resourcery PLC. Resourcery however resumed implementation in October 2013
after the intervention of WAMI and the management of CBL. The following activities have subsequently
been concluded by Resourcery:
Pre-installation survey at the main and DR sites
Approval of Project Management Work plan
Sign-off of Project Scope and Deliverables
Delivery of all Cisco equipment CBL
Ordering of all Local and items coming from abroad.
CBL is currently remodeling the DR site to meet the Project Scope
Internet and MAN (Lot 2) contractor, Unique Solution has shipped the first batch of equipment to
Liberia. Other equipment has been ordered and is expected to arrive by Mid November 2013.
4.0 Revised Go-Live Dates
The following go-live dates were agreed during the fifth steering committee meeting for Guinea and
Liberia.
Guinea
S/N

Component

Go-live dates

Revised Go-Live Dates

RTGS

28th February, 2014

End March, 2014

SSS

15th March, 2014

Mid April, 2014

ACP/ACH

3rd February, 2014

3rd March 2014

CBA

27th January, 2014

24th February, 2014

Infrastructure

15th October, 2013

30th November, 2013

Liberia
S/N

Component

Go-live dates

Revised Go-Live Dates

RTGS

Mid June 2014

Mid June 2014

SSS

End June 2014

End June 2014

ACP/ACH

27th June, 2014

27th June 2014

CBA

28th April, 2014

28th April 2014

Infrastructure

30th November, 2013

28th February, 2014

5.0 Major Challenges

4

The delay in the engagement of contractors for the Infrastructural Upgrade in Liberia and the late
resumption of implementation by the contractors poses a major challenge to the completion of the
project in Liberia. The agreed completion date of 30th November, 2013 has been revised to 28th February
2014 with best efforts because of the current slow pace of implementation by the contractors. This may
lead to a delay in the delivery and installation equipment by the major components solution providers
and subsequent training and customization.
6.0 Conclusion
The project implementation is progressing steadily after the resolution of some outstanding issues. The
Gambia and Sierra Leone are in the process of the organization of the formal launch in conjunction with
WAMI and AfDB while implementation is progressing in Guinea and Liberia.