By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Finance has presented a budget of over Le100 million for the fiscal year 2026 during the bilateral budget discussion held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall in Freetown. The Deputy Minister of Finance, Madam Kadiatu Allie, presented the budget, emphasizing that the allocation is intended to support and achieve the “Big Five Game Changers” outlined by President Bio.
In her address, Madam Allie provided an overview of the Ministry’s mandate, core values, mission, and vision, and highlighted key achievements from the past years. She then outlined the major deliverables for 2026, which include increasing domestic revenue from 13% of GDP in 2022 to at least 18% by 2026, strengthening external resource mobilization, and reducing the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio from 74.5% to below 50.2% by 2027. She further emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to improving budget planning, execution, and reporting in line with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act of 2016.
Madam Allie revealed the breakdown of the 2026 budget, with the following allocations Le71.3 million for the Corporate Services Directorate, Le2.1 million for the Office of the Financial Secretary, Le72.4 million for the Economic Policy Management Directorate, Le2.5 million for the Fiscal Operations Directorate AND Le6.2 million for the Project Fiduciary Management and Coordination Directorate
These allocations total Le154.7 million, which aligns with the ceiling set for the 2026 fiscal year.
She also acknowledged the challenges faced by the Ministry in 2024 and 2025, including funding gaps, delays in disbursements, extra-budgetary requests from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and a reliance on external partners. Despite these hurdles, she reassured the public that the Ministry remains committed to supporting the government’s priorities.
Additionally, Madam Allie noted that the approved fiscal budget for 2024 was Le27.1 million, which rose significantly to Le127.7 million in 2025.
In conclusion, Madam Allie expressed gratitude to the Government of Sierra Leone for its continued support, reaffirming that the Ministry remains dedicated to ensuring fiscal stability and effective resource management.