The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, has disclosed an increase in Sierra Leone’s national minimum wage from NLe 800 to NLe 1,200, effective April 2026.
The announcement was made during the three-day Salone Civic Festival organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
Minister Swaray said the decision followed months of consultations with employers and social partners across the country, acting on the directive of President Julius Maada Bio.
The Minister noted that the current minimum wage no longer reflects economic realities and said the increase, while not fully meeting public expectations, will help ease the cost-of-living pressures faced by many workers.
In addition to the wage increase, the Minister outlined government plans to extend social protection to workers in the informal sector through the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT).
He explained that NASSIT currently covers only about 9 percent of the population, mainly those in the formal sector.
The proposed reforms aim to include informal sector workers such as traders, bike riders, fishermen, tailors, and market women, who make up nearly 70 percent of the population.
A draft legal framework has been prepared and is expected to be presented to Parliament in early 2026.
Minister Swaray said the move will provide retirement pensions and other benefits to informal workers, helping to secure their future and strengthen inclusive economic growth in Sierra Leone.
