Freetown, 14th October 2026 – Sierra Leone has maintained its Tier 2 ranking in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, with the Government recording notable progress in the fight against human trafficking despite continuing challenges in victim support and enforcement.
According to the report, the Government of Sierra Leone does not yet fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking in persons but has demonstrated significant efforts to improve its response compared to the previous reporting period.
The report highlights increased investigations, prosecutions and victim identification as key achievements. Authorities investigated 39 trafficking cases and prosecuted 39 suspects during the reporting period, a substantial increase from the 13 cases investigated and 20 suspects prosecuted in the previous year.
Despite the increase in prosecutions, convictions declined. Only two traffickers were convicted during the reporting period, compared to four convictions in the previous reporting cycle.
The Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act of 2022 continues to serve as the country’s principal legal instrument against trafficking, criminalizing both sex and labour trafficking and prescribing penalties of at least 25 years imprisonment.
While praising the government’s law-enforcement efforts, the report noted persistent concerns over corruption and official complicity, which continue to undermine anti-trafficking operations. It also cited inadequate resources, limited knowledge of trafficking laws among some officials, and the tendency of authorities to prosecute trafficking-related offences under lesser charges such as labour violations or fraud.
On victim protection, Sierra Leone recorded modest gains.
Authorities identified and referred 72 trafficking victims for care during the reporting period, up from 57 victims a year earlier. Of those identified, 37 were women, four were men, 18 were boys and 13 were girls.
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Agency (ATIP) revised the National Referral Mechanism to address emerging trafficking trends and developed standard operating procedures aimed at improving care standards across shelters nationwide.
For the first time in the reporting periods under review, the government reported assisting all 72 identified victims. However, the report observed that support services remain heavily dependent on non-governmental organizations.
Sierra Leone still lacks dedicated shelters for trafficking victims and relies primarily on two NGOs to provide accommodation, counselling, healthcare, legal assistance and repatriation support. Services for male victims remain particularly limited.
The government, working with ECOWAS, provided in-kind support worth 829,500 New Leones to assist the NGOs delivering victim services.
In the area of prevention, authorities maintained an inter-agency anti-trafficking task force and continued implementing the National Action Plan for 2024-2028. The government also established a survivor network to ensure that victims’ experiences and perspectives contribute to anti-trafficking initiatives.
Public awareness campaigns were expanded through partnerships with international organizations and the Sierra Leone Football Association. Authorities also reactivated the country’s toll-free anti-trafficking hotline, while two mobile network operators collaborated with ATIP to distribute SIM cards to facilitate reporting of suspected trafficking cases.
The report further commended Sierra Leone’s regulation of labour recruitment agencies. Authorities require agencies to obtain overseas recruitment licences and prohibit them from charging recruitment fees to workers. Recruitment firms are subject to stringent vetting, while migrant workers undergo documentation and contract verification before departure.
Despite the progress, the report noted shortcomings. Funding for prevention efforts fell significantly, dropping from 245,700 New Leones in the previous reporting period to 90,000 New Leones. The government also did not report measures specifically aimed at preventing forced labour and child labour in supply chains.
The report paints a troubling picture of trafficking trends affecting Sierra Leoneans both at home and abroad.
Human traffickers continue to exploit victims in sex trafficking and forced labour in sectors including agriculture, artisanal mining, fishing, domestic work, quarrying, begging and petty trading. Children, homeless youths, migrants and women remain especially vulnerable.
Traffickers increasingly use social media platforms to lure victims with fake job offers and promises of employment overseas.
Beyond Sierra Leone’s borders, citizens continue to face exploitation in West Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Sierra Leonean women have reportedly been subjected to domestic servitude in countries including Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman.
The report also cites media and NGO findings indicating that women from Sierra Leone and other developing countries were allegedly recruited under the guise of vocational training programmes before being placed in military drone production facilities under exploitative conditions. In addition, Sierra Leoneans have reportedly been trafficked into online scam operations abroad.
