By: Isatu Bai Kamara
Sierra Leone’s labour landscape is set for a major transformation following the announcement of a new national minimum wage and an ambitious plan to extend social protection to workers in the informal economy.
The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, disclosed that the national minimum wage will increase from NLe 800 to NLe 1,200, with effect from April 2026. The announcement was made during the Salone Civic Festival organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
According to Minister Swaray, the wage adjustment follows months of nationwide consultations with employers, labour unions, and other social partners, undertaken after President Dr. Julius Maada Bio acknowledged that the existing minimum wage no longer reflects current economic realities.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” the Minister said. “After extensive dialogue with employers across the country, we reached a consensus on a new minimum wage of NLe 1,200. While it may not satisfy all expectations, it represents a meaningful step toward easing the financial pressure on workers.”
Beyond wage reforms, the Minister revealed government’s commitment to expanding social protection through the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), which currently serves only the formal sector about 9 percent of the population.
He noted that the informal sector, which constitutes nearly 70 percent of Sierra Leone’s workforce, including traders, motorbike riders, fishermen, tailors, artisans, and market women, has long remained outside structured social security systems.
“The informal sector is the backbone of our economy, yet it remains the most vulnerable,” Minister Swaray stated. “Our objective is to ensure that these workers are protected against economic shocks, old age, and unforeseen hardships.”
He further disclosed that a proposed legal framework to integrate informal sector workers into NASSIT has already been drafted by the Law Officers’ Department and is expected to be presented to Parliament in the first quarter of 2026.
Once implemented, registered informal sector workers will be eligible for retirement pensions, survivors’ benefits, and other social security provisions currently available to formal sector employees.
Minister Swaray emphasized that the initiative aligns directly with President Bio’s people-centered governance agenda, aimed at inclusive growth and social justice.
“The contributions they make today will secure their tomorrow,” he said. “This scheme is about dignity, security, and ensuring that no worker is left behind.”
The combined policy measures raising the minimum wage and extending NASSIT coverage mark a significant step toward inclusive labour reforms, offering both immediate relief and long-term security for thousands of Sierra Leonean workers across the country.