Freetown, 3rd June 2026- Sierra Leone’s domestic revenue collection for the first quarter of 2026 reached NLe 4.52 billion, according to official figures. But the performance highlights both strengths and worrying gaps in the fiscal framework.
The Domestic Revenue Analysis – Quarter 1, 2026 shows that income tax receipts were the backbone of collections, contributing NLe 1.86 billion, or 41 percent of total revenue. This was followed by the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which brought in NLe 779 million, accounting for 17 percent.
Customs and excise duties generated NLe 281 million, representing 6 percent of the total, while taxes on international trade and transport (import duty) added NLe 565 million, or 13 percent. The Treasury Single Account (TSA) contributed NLe 470 million, equal to 10 percent of total revenue.
Non-tax revenues, including fees, fines, road user charges, and administrative charges, collectively amounted to NLe 563 million, making up 13 percent of the quarter’s receipts. Notably, other departmental receipts surged to NLe 497 million, boosted by strong inflows in March.
However, the absence of contributions from the mineral resources and fisheries sectors, budgeted at NLe 1.29 billion and NLe 671 million respectively, left a significant gap. Both sectors recorded zero inflows in the first quarter, raising concerns about compliance, enforcement, and the broader health of resource-based revenues.
Overall, the Q1 performance represents just 19 percent of the annual domestic revenue target of NLe 23.67 billion, underscoring the challenge of meeting fiscal goals without stronger inflows from extractives and fisheries.
The figures suggest that while tax administration is delivering steady inflows from income tax, GST, and import duties, the government’s fiscal position remains vulnerable to underperformance in key sectors. Analysts warn that without urgent reforms in resource revenue mobilization, the state may be forced to lean more heavily on borrowing to bridge financing gaps.
