Poverty Rate Returning to Pandemic Levels, World Bank Report Warns

Poverty in Sierra Leone is projected to rise, with nearly 60 percent of the population expected to live below the national poverty line, according to the World Bank’s 7th Edition of the Sierra Leone Economic Update.

The report estimates the poverty rate at 59.9 percent, an increase from 57.8 percent in 2023 and a return to levels last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

According to the report, inflation remains elevated, household incomes are weak and food insecurity is widespread. Rural communities are the hardest hit, with limited access to healthcare, education and stable livelihoods, leaving many families increasingly vulnerable to economic shocks.

The government’s Agri-Food Price Shocks Emergency Facility has provided short-term relief, but the World Bank notes that existing measures are not enough to stem the rising trend.

Urban areas, including Freetown, are also under pressure from escalating living costs, particularly food prices. Women and children are reported to be disproportionately affected, facing higher risks of malnutrition and reduced access to essential health services.

The report attributes the worsening poverty outlook to sluggish economic activity, rising domestic prices and limited fiscal space to expand social protection programmes. Job creation remains slow, with an estimated 75,000 new jobs needed annually to maintain the current employment-to-population ratio.

To reverse the trend, the World Bank recommends strengthening fiscal management, improving competitiveness, expanding access to finance, enhancing infrastructure and streamlining foreign investment regulations.

Proposed recovery strategies include increasing investment in agriculture, scaling up social protection and targeting rural development initiatives. The report stresses the need to build resilience against food insecurity and price shocks to prevent further deterioration in living standards.

The World Bank warns that without coordinated and sustained action, poverty in Sierra Leone could continue to rise, calling for expanded social protection, price stabilization and broader livelihood opportunities.