Freetown, 28th September 2026- The ongoing FY2027 Bilateral Budget Hearings have placed a sharp focus on the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s (MoICE) request for NLe1.225 million to establish and strengthen the National Fund for Public Interest Media, a move that could reshape Sierra Leone’s media financing landscape.
Permanent Secretary Andrew Kamara Esq. and Chief Director Alimamy Lahai outlined MoICE’s broader capital budget of NLe101.23 million, which includes high-profile projects such as the National Records and Archive Centre (NLe42.28 million) and National Digital Migration (NLe25 million). Yet, the relatively modest allocation for the Public Interest Media Fund drew particular attention, given its potential to support independent journalism, enhance civic engagement, and bolster accountability reporting.
The Fund is designed to provide structured financial support to media outlets producing content in the public interest, especially those tackling governance, transparency, and civic education. Officials argued that this allocation is critical to sustaining a vibrant press ecosystem at a time when advertising revenues remain volatile and donor support is shrinking.
MoICE’s capital proposals also earmark: NLe13.8 million for government outreach via a mobile audio-visual PA system, NLe15.54 million for fencing the SLBC perimeter at Leicester Peak and NLe2.5 million for transforming the Daily Mail
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry presented a FY2027 budget of NLe36.06 million, against a recurrent ceiling of NLe9.15 million, with its largest allocation — NLe26.88 million — going to the Office of the Permanent Secretary. Trade officials highlighted revenue generation of NLe254.2 million in the first half of 2026, driven largely by Integrated Trade Services and the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
