By Davida Spaine- Solomon
Freetown, 23rd June, 2026 – The Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has flagged Sierra Leone’s ambitious plan to reduce public debt from 93.8 percent of GDP to 70 percent by 2028 as one of several critical development targets now at risk, urging Government to accelerate reforms to safeguard economic stability.
In its latest Salone Development Scorecard (SDSC), the policy think tank identified 36 commitments under the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) showing minimal progress, warning that delays could undermine the country’s transformation agenda and derail national targets set for 2030.
IGR commended progress in some areas but cautioned that successive governments have historically shifted focus from development delivery to political activity in the run-up to elections, leaving major projects unfinished. “Now is the time to prioritize commitments that are falling behind schedule,” the report stressed.
The headline target, cutting debt to 70 percent of GDP by 2028 is seen as central to restoring fiscal sustainability. Sierra Leone’s debt burden currently stands among the highest in West Africa, raising concerns about repayment capacity and crowding out investment in growth sectors. The scorecard also highlighted the need to bring inflation down to single digits and maintain it there, alongside raising domestic revenue to at least 18 percent of GDP by 2026.
Other lagging commitments beyond fiscal reforms, IGR flagged delays in: Energy expansion to 1.130 gigawatts by 2030, rice self-sufficiency and reduced food import bills, job creation for 500,000 young people, establishment of Special Economic Zones and Agro-Parks, construction of 20,000 affordable housing units nationwide and certification of fish exports to EU and China markets
The report also pointed to unfinished reforms in public sector pay, biometric attendance systems, and the creation of a Public Service Academy. In education, targets include equipping 20,000 youths with TVET skills and expanding the student loan scheme to reach at least 10,000 students, with 30 percent reserved for women.
IGR urged ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to intensify implementation efforts and ensure development priorities are not overshadowed by political cycles. The organisation emphasized that achieving debt reduction and fiscal stability will be pivotal to unlocking investment, sustaining growth, and meeting broader social commitments.
