The Government of Sierra Leone has recorded notable gains in ministerial performance and public service delivery in 2025, according to a newly released performance contract report issued by the Office of the David Moinina Sengeh, the country’s Chief Minister.
The report provides a detailed evaluation of how ministries, departments, and agencies performed throughout the year, measuring progress against agreed targets under the national performance management framework. Officials say the assessment is intended to strengthen accountability, improve coordination across government institutions, and ensure that public resources are directed toward measurable results.
Presenting the findings, Chief Minister Sengeh explained that the document serves as an important tool for tracking the government’s commitment to transparency and citizen-focused governance. He stressed that the country’s National Development Plan remains the central framework used to monitor progress and guide the delivery of essential public services.
According to the report, ministries collectively recorded an overall performance score of 78 percent in 2025, reflecting aggregated outputs achieved against the minimum targets established under the ministerial performance contracts. The findings suggest that most institutions were able to meet or exceed key benchmarks despite operating under tighter fiscal conditions during the year.
One of the major indicators of ministerial productivity highlighted in the report was policy development and decision-making within the Cabinet. Data shows that ministries submitted and secured approval for a total of 89 Cabinet Papers and concluded 145 ministerial agreements during the reporting period. Most ministries successfully met the minimum requirement of producing at least five Cabinet Papers and two agreements annually.
The report also assessed adherence to the government’s Service Delivery Charter, a framework designed to ensure ministries provide efficient and accessible services to the public. Compliance levels stood at 53.1 percent overall, with 19 ministries meeting or surpassing the minimum benchmark of 50 percent.
Performance in administrative and governance standards also showed encouraging results. Compliance with key institutional requirements including procurement procedures, internal audits, strategic planning, and the preparation of annual work plans ranged between 70 percent and 76.9 percent across government institutions.
Financial indicators included in the report further demonstrate the scale of government operations during the year. Ministries reported appropriation-in-aid revenues estimated at approximately 0.88 billion United States dollars, while domestic revenue mobilization reached Le 21.1 billion. These figures highlight the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen internal revenue streams while maintaining operational efficiency.
Citizen engagement remained another significant component of the performance evaluation. Ministries and agencies conducted a total of 1,355 citizen engagement activities throughout the year. These engagements included community consultations, stakeholder meetings, and outreach initiatives aimed at ensuring public participation in governance processes.
In addition, government institutions introduced 133 service delivery innovations, reflecting efforts to modernize public administration and improve the accessibility and quality of services provided to citizens.
The report also analyzed performance across sectoral clusters of government ministries. The Economic Management Cluster emerged as the top-performing group, achieving an average score of 83.1 percent. This cluster typically includes ministries responsible for finance, economic planning, trade, and related sectors critical to national development.
When evaluated against their individual targets, ministries fully achieved 62 percent of their agreed goals for 2025. Another 22 percent of targets were partially achieved, while 16 percent were not met. Officials say the results provide useful insights into areas where further reforms and institutional strengthening may be required.
Chief Minister Sengeh noted that the 2025 findings demonstrate steady progress in the government’s efforts to improve efficiency and accountability across the public sector. He emphasized that, even with reduced financial allocations in several sectors, ministries were able to deliver stronger results compared to the previous year.
Particular improvements were recorded in the implementation of Cabinet decisions, the execution of audit recommendations, and other governance compliance indicators. According to the report, these areas saw performance increases exceeding 100 percent when compared with results recorded in 2024.
Government officials say the performance contract system remains a critical mechanism for promoting results-based management within the public service. By setting measurable targets for ministers and tracking progress through regular assessments, the framework is designed to ensure that government policies translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
The Office of the Chief Minister indicated that the findings will guide future reforms and help ministries identify priority areas for improvement in the coming year. Authorities also plan to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to ensure that institutions maintain momentum in implementing national development priorities.
As the government continues its drive toward improved governance and service delivery, the 2025 Ministerial Performance Contract Report offers a comprehensive snapshot of how public institutions are performing and how they are responding to the evolving needs of the people of Sierra Leone.