Freetown, 21st May 2026 – For decades, Sierra Leone’s mining wealth has stood in stark contrast to the poverty of its mining communities. In Kono, Tonkolili, Port Loko and other mineral‑rich districts, citizens have watched trucks haul away resources while schools, healthcare and infrastructure remain underdeveloped.
That frustration took centre stage at Sierra Leone Mining Week 2026, when Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh asked the question on many lips: “Where does the mining money go?” He reframed it not as cynicism, but as patriotism.
“That question is not cynical. It is patriotic,” Dr Jalloh told delegates. “The expectation is for Sierra Leoneans to finally earn their full share from our mineral resources.”
The Vice President stressed that mineral wealth must translate into jobs, skills, enterprise development, infrastructure, social services, and dignified livelihoods, especially for those living in mining communities.
Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Julius Daniel Mattai reinforced the message, describing the event as a defining moment for Sierra Leone and Africa’s mining future. “Responsible mining without shared prosperity is unjust,” he declared.
For young people, women entrepreneurs, and communities long excluded from the benefits of extraction, the rhetoric signals a stronger political acknowledgement of their expectations.
Dr Jalloh disclosed that Sierra Leone’s mining sector generated US$1.12 billion in mineral exports in 2024, yet government revenue stood at just US$49.9 million, despite a 34 per cent increase.
“From a billion‑dollar export sector, less than five cents of every dollar reaches the national treasury,” he said, a stark statistic that underscores the urgency of reform.
Hon. Saa Emerson Lamina, Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources, praised reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability, noting that mining remains a critical driver of the national economy.
For ordinary Sierra Leoneans, the true measure will be whether promises translate into visible progress. Dr Jalloh set the benchmark himself:
“The true measure of Sierra Leone’s mineral wealth will not be what leaves our ports. It will be what remains in our country.”
That includes stronger communities, better infrastructure, jobs, and lasting opportunity. In a nation where mining has long symbolised both hope and disappointment, this may be the most important promise made at Mining Week 2026.
