Government Raises Minimum Wage to NLe 1,200 Effective April 2026

Government Raises Minimum Wage to NLe 1,200 Effective April 2026

The Government of Sierra Leone has announced an increase in the national minimum wage from NLe 800 to NLe 1,200, with the new rate set to take effect in April 2026.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, during the three-day Salone Civic Festival organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on 12 December 2025.

Addressing concerns over the adequacy of the existing minimum wage, Minister Swaray said President Julius Maada Bio acknowledged that the current wage no longer reflects prevailing economic conditions. Acting on the President’s directive, the Ministry engaged employers and social partners nationwide to review and renegotiate the wage structure.

Following months of consultations, an agreement was reached to raise the minimum wage to NLe 1,200 beginning April 2026. Minister Swaray noted that while the adjustment may not fully meet public expectations, it is intended to ease economic pressure on workers.

In addition to the wage increase, the Minister outlined government plans to expand social protection through the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT). He explained that NASSIT currently covers only the formal sector, which represents about 9 percent of the population, leaving the majority without structured social security.

According to Minister Swaray, the informal sector accounts for nearly 70 percent of Sierra Leone’s population, including traders, bike riders, fishermen, tailors, market women, and other self-employed workers who are currently excluded from NASSIT coverage.

The government’s policy now focuses on extending social security protection to this group, aligning with President Bio’s broader social protection agenda. The Minister disclosed that the Law Officers’ Department has completed the first draft of the proposed legal framework, which is expected to be presented to Parliament in the first quarter of 2026.

Minister Swaray emphasized that integrating informal sector workers into NASSIT would help protect them against economic shocks and long-term vulnerability, noting their role as a key driver of national productivity. Under the proposed expansion, registered informal sector workers would become eligible for retirement pensions, survivors’ benefits, and other social protection schemes currently available to formal sector employees.

The minimum wage adjustment and proposed expansion of NASSIT represent a shift toward broader labour protection, with government officials describing the measures as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen income security and social welfare for workers across all sectors of the economy.