The Ministry of Finance, through its Public Debt Management Division, has launched its 2026 Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) Workshop, an annual programme aimed at assessing Sierra Leone’s public debt profile and strengthening strategies for sustainable debt management.
The week-long workshop, being held at the Leisure Lodge in Aberdeen, has brought together representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL), civil society organizations, and economics students from the University of Sierra Leone.
The sessions are focused on public debt analysis, debt management frameworks, and the wider impact of public debt on the country’s economy and society.
Delivering the opening remarks, the Director of the Public Debt Management Division, Mathew Sandy, welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of the workshop in informing government policy and strengthening public debt management.
He noted that Sierra Leone has maintained single-digit inflation over the past two years, attributing the achievement to reduced government borrowing and increased engagement with private sector actors. According to him, these measures have contributed to lower interest rates and helped keep the country’s debt at sustainable levels.
Mr. Sandy disclosed that Sierra Leone’s total public debt stock currently stands at NLe74.4 billion, comprising domestic debt of NLe23.9 billion (45.6%) and external debt of NLe40.48 billion (54.4%). He described the increase from NLe69.8 billion to NLe74.4 billion as modest and estimated the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio at 42.4 percent.
He also called on citizens and businesses to fulfil their tax obligations, stressing that improved domestic revenue mobilisation is essential for financing national development and meeting the country’s debt obligations.
Speaking on Sierra Leone’s debt outlook, the Deputy Director of the Public Debt Management Division, Santigie Charles Conteh, said the country is currently classified as being at medium risk of debt distress. He explained that, based on World Bank debt sustainability assessments, Sierra Leone is expected to transition to a moderate risk of debt distress within the next six months.
Conteh assured participants that the country’s debt remains sustainable and that the government continues to meet all its debt service obligations without default or penalties.
The workshop reflects the Ministry of Finance’s continued commitment to strengthening debt management capacity, promoting transparency, and enhancing collaboration among key stakeholders. By bringing together government institutions, civil society organizations, and academia, the Ministry aims to deepen public understanding of debt sustainability and support informed economic policymaking in Sierra Leone