By Foday Moriba Conteh
The concerns raised about rising transport costs in Sierra Leone reflect real economic pressures faced by riders, kekeh operators and private motorbike owners. However, attributing those challenges to Shalimar Trading Company and characterizing its role as exploitative does not align with verifiable market facts or the operational realities of importing, distributing and servicing motor vehicles in the country.
Shalimar Trading Company is the authorized national distributor of TVS motorbikes and spare parts, representing TVS Motor Company, one of the world’s leading two- and three-wheeler manufacturers. Authorized distributorships are a standard global practice designed to ensure:
- Product authenticity (protection against counterfeits),
- Manufacturer-backed warranties,
- Technical standards and safety compliance and
- Structured after-sales service.
These safeguards matter in a transport ecosystem where reliability directly affects livelihoods and public safety.
TVS motorbikes are chosen across Sierra Leone for measurable practical reasons:
- Fuel efficiency that lowers operating costs over time,
- Durable engines and frames suited to local road conditions,
- Consistent availability of genuine spare parts and
- Lower lifecycle costs compared with unregulated imports that often fail early.
Those attributes explain why TVS models dominate commercial riding; not market coercion but product performance and reliability.
Price increases in bikes and spare parts mirror broader economic forces affecting all imported goods:
- Exchange-rate volatility and foreign currency costs,
- Global shipping and insurance expenses,
- Customs duties, port charges and domestic taxes,
- Inflation in logistics, fuel and operations.
No distributor can absorb those costs indefinitely. Import-dependent sectors, from food to medicine, face the same pressures. Assigning responsibility to a single company overlooks those systemic drivers.
Shalimar has built a nationwide distribution and service footprint, supporting:
- Direct and indirect employment,
- Dealer networks in major cities and regional hubs,
- Trained technicians and service standards, and
- Reliable access to genuine parts, which reduces breakdowns and safety risks.
Opening the market to unchecked alternatives would likely increase counterfeit parts, compromise road safety and raise long-term maintenance costs for riders.
Riders’ difficulties warrant solutions, financing options, duty reviews on commercial transport equipment, currency stabilization and sector reforms, not the vilification of a compliant private investor. Constructive engagement among regulators, transport unions, financiers and distributors offers a more credible path to affordability and sustainability.
Shalimar Trading Company’s role is best understood through facts: authorized distribution, proven products, national service coverage and compliance within a challenging macroeconomic environment. TVS motorbikes remain the backbone of daily mobility in Sierra Leone because they deliver value, safety and reliability; qualities that ultimately protect riders’ incomes and the public interest.
