Sierra Leone profile

Demography and Health

Sierra Leone, with an estimated population of about 8.64 million in 2024, remains a young nation in demographic terms. The crude birth rate stands at 30.6 per 1,000 people (2023), indicating rapid population growth and a potential youth bulge that will continue to shape demand for education, jobs, and health services. The crude death rate is 8.29 per 1,000, and life expectancy at birth is about 61.8 years (2023), underscoring ongoing health and development challenges. A stark indicator of child health is the under-5 mortality rate, at 94.3 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023), reflecting gaps in maternal and child health, nutrition, and access to quality health care. The prevalence of undernourishment affects nearly 28.4% of the population (2022), signaling substantial food insecurity that compounds health vulnerabilities, particularly among vulnerable and rural populations.

Health financing and workforce are constrained. Current health expenditure accounts for roughly 7.95% of GDP (2022), and domestic general government health expenditure per capita, in PPP terms, is about 30.4 international dollars (2022), indicating limited fiscal space to expand services. The physician density is extremely low at 0.043 per 1,000 people (2022), which translates into long wait times, unequal access, and reliance on informal care networks. Internet penetration is about 20.6% (2023), a factor that can limit access to health information, telemedicine, and rapid dissemination of public health advisories. Net migration in 2024 runs at about -11,000, suggesting outward movement that could erode human capital and strain remittance-based coping mechanisms. Taken together, these indicators point to a health system that must scale up both financing and workforce, while simultaneously improving nutrition and child health to reverse high mortality trends and build a healthier, more productive population.

Economy, Trade and Investment

The macroeconomy of Sierra Leone is characterized by low income levels and substantial vulnerabilities. GDP per capita is about $873 in 2024 (current US$), while GDP per capita at PPP stands at approximately $3,516, signaling significant purchasing-power disparities relative to peers. The export orientation remains modest, with exports of goods and services totaling 20.9% of GDP in 2024, and imports at 43.5% of GDP, indicating a sizable trade deficit and a reliance on external sourcing for goods and inputs. Inflation runs high at about 28.6% in 2024, eroding purchasing power and acting as a major constraint for households and firms alike, particularly those with limited buffers against price shocks.

Foreign direct investment net inflows are 3.76% of GDP in 2023, a modest level reflecting some investor interest but also the persistent constraints noted in governance and infrastructure. The current account balance is negative, at -9.46% of GDP in 2023, underscoring a persistent external deficit driven by the import-heavy structure and finite export capacity. Net migration is negative at around -11,000 in 2024, signaling outward movement that can affect the domestic labor force and consumer base, while potentially supporting remittance inflows as a partial offset. An energy-related note is the relatively high share of renewables in total final energy consumption—71.6% in 2022—though this dominance often reflects limited access to traditional energy sources and low overall energy demand, rather than a fully developed renewable electricity sector. Taken together, the economy shows potential for growth through investment and export diversification, but progress will hinge on stabilizing inflation, expanding productive capacity, improving governance, and strengthening human capital and infrastructure to attract and sustain investment.

Governance and Institutions

Governance indicators paint a picture of structural weakness across core public institutions. Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism is estimated at -0.239 (2023), Regulatory Quality at -1.06, Rule of Law at -0.833, Control of Corruption at -0.575, and Government Effectiveness at -1.16. These values, all negative, signal a challenging environment for policy credibility, contract enforcement, and the effective delivery of public services. The combination of weak regulatory quality, limited rule of law, and corruption risks constrains the business climate, deters some investment, and complicates public program implementation, including health, education, and infrastructure projects. While not at the extremes of some peers, these indicators justify a focus on governance reforms—transparency, public financial management, anti-corruption measures, and judicial and regulatory strengthening—as foundational steps toward improved macroeconomic stability, more predictable policymaking, and a more enabling environment for private sector development and international cooperation.

In this context, governance quality directly influences fiscal space for health and education, the efficiency of public investments, and the overall effectiveness of development programs. Progress in governance would likely have multiplicative effects, improving the reliability of budgets, reducing risk premiums on investment, and strengthening the social contract with citizens through better service delivery and accountability.

Infrastructure and Technology

Digital connectivity remains limited, with only about 20.6% of the population using the Internet in 2023. This digital divide constrains access to online information, education, e-government services, and digital commerce, and it presents a barrier to leapfrogging certain services such as telemedicine and remote learning. The health system’s capacity is also constrained by a very low physician density of 0.043 per 1,000 people (2022), underscoring the need for workforce development and distribution to improve access to care, especially in rural areas. On the energy side, Sierra Leone’s energy profile shows a high share of renewables—71.6% of total final energy consumption in 2022—reflecting a landscape where biomass and hydropower play major roles, and possibly where electricity access remains limited, keeping absolute energy use low. These dynamics imply an opportunity to expand reliable, affordable electricity and digital infrastructure to spur private investment, health and education service delivery, and digital inclusion, while ensuring grid stability and affordability for households and businesses.

Environment and Sustainability

Per capita greenhouse gas emissions are relatively low, at 0.82 tCO2e in 2023, consistent with low industrial activity and a largely agrarian economy. Yet Sierra Leone faces environmental pressures that intersect with development. The freshwater withdrawal level is 0.496 (water stress), indicating moderate to significant competition for freshwater resources and vulnerability to climatic variability, particularly for agriculture and urban water supply. The prevalence of undernourishment at 28.4% (2022) highlights the climate-sensitive nature of food security and the need for resilient agricultural practices, irrigation, and nutrition programs. These environmental dynamics mean that climate resilience should be a central pillar of development strategy, coupling renewable energy potential with investments in water management, agriculture, and watershed protection. The notable renewable energy share offers a natural platform for clean-growth, but realizing sustainable development will require coordinated governance, investments in infrastructure, and inclusive access to energy services for all segments of society.