Freetown, 8th December, 2025 – President Julius Maada Bio has pledged stronger government support for public-interest journalism, describing it as a cornerstone of Sierra Leone’s democratic progress. Speaking at the 7th Presidential Media Cocktail held at State House, the President highlighted sweeping reforms and investments aimed at empowering the country’s media sector.
The President hailed Sierra Leone’s rise in the World Press Freedom Index, climbing more than 25 places since 2017 and reaching 56th globally in 2025 as evidence of reforms and “constructive partnership with the media.”
He praised the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) and the Multi-Stakeholders’ Board for awarding grants to 14 outlets through the National Fund for Public Interest Media, describing the initiative as a milestone in strengthening independent voices.
“My Government reaffirms its commitment to public-interest journalism,” Bio declared. “We commend the Media Reform Coordinating Group for their leadership in ensuring that resources reach independent outlets across Sierra Leone.”
The President also announced a dramatic increase in government subvention to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), rising from Le 200 million in 2020 to Le 2.7 billion old Leones in 2026, a gesture he called a “Christmas gift that always comes early.”
Yet, while the cocktail speech celebrated progress, it also revived memories of Bio’s earlier promise at the Media Viability and Investment Conference in 2022, where he publicly committed Sierra Leone to the International Fund for Public Interest Media. At that time, he warned that independent outlets were losing revenue due to global economic shocks and technological disruption, and stressed the need for “concrete international action” to secure sustainable funding.
“We need independent media practitioners to advocate for and protect the public interest,” Bio said in 2022. “We should assure the long-term future of the independent media.”
Three years later, observers note that while government subventions and local grants have expanded, Sierra Leone’s full association with the international fund, a pledge made by the President himself, remains a work in progress. The cocktail commitments, therefore, raise questions about whether the government will finally deliver on that international promise, ensuring that independent journalism is not only celebrated but sustainably financed.
Beyond funding, Bio outlined reforms to modernize the information ecosystem, including Sierra Leone’s first National Information and Media Policy, a forthcoming Data Protection and Privacy Bill, and the transformation of the Right to Access Information Commission into a stronger Access to Information Authority. He also cited efforts to revive SLENA, modernize the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, and reform national archives.
The President closed by urging journalists to continue shaping Sierra Leone’s narrative with integrity:
“The story of Sierra Leone must be told by you. Each article, report, and broadcast is a brush stroke painting the picture of our progress and aspirations.”
As Sierra Leone’s media fraternity reflects on seven years of partnership with the presidency, the challenge now is clear: translating promises both local and international into lasting structures that guarantee the independence, viability, and sustainability of public-interest journalism.
