By Kelfala Kargbo
Freetown, 26th January 2026- Death is a paradox, it is both a painful loss and, for some, a source of livelihood. Funerals today are not only moments of grief and remembrance they are also expensive affairs that sustain entire industries.
One of the least-discussed but most profitable is the coffin trade. Many shy away from it, calling it an “indecent” business, even joking that coffin sellers must secretly wish for death to make sales. Yet for carpenters and funeral homes, coffins are survival. “Just one sale can sustain my family for a while,” said Alimamy Kamara, a carpenter in Ascension Town.
The National Civil Registration Authority reported 17,950 deaths in 2025, up from 10,280 in 2024. Of these, 51% were men and 49% women. Behind the numbers lies an economic reality: more deaths mean more coffins, and more coffins mean more profit.
At a December funeral in Ascension Town, mourners followed a gold-striped coffin to the cemetery. One whispered to another, half-joking: “This is the best funeral I’ve ever attended. By the look of the coffin, the refreshments will be plenty.”
Coffins vary widely in cost. A simple wooden one sells for NLe2–3 million. Glass coffins go for around NLe5 million, while customized designs can reach NLe10 million. For many families, the coffin is the second-largest expense after food. “We paid NLe10 million for my father’s burial, including mortuary rites and the casket,” said Tamba Kenewa.
Funerals themselves are costly. Among Christians, families often host mourners with food daily until burial, sometimes for weeks. “We cooked every day until my father was buried. It took almost two weeks,” Kenewa recalled.
Islamic burials differ: coffins are not permitted, and bodies are buried quickly. Christianity, by contrast, often preserves bodies for longer, adding to costs.
Ascension Town cemetery, one of Freetown’s largest, is reserved for Christian burials. “Every Friday we see three or four burials, often with expensive coffins,” said Mohamed Marah, the cemetery’s supervisor. “Lately, it’s fewer about 15 a month.”
Carpenters like Kamara craft coffins with wood and decorative designs. Prices range from NLe10,000 to NLe15,000 for basic models, though sales depend on connections. “Some carpenters are known only for coffins and earn more because they have the links,” Kamara explained. “For us, we make them only when asked.”
Beyond carpenters, funeral homes such as Virtues and Colombia Davies dominate the trade. They preserve bodies, manage rites, and provide coffins turning grief into full-time enterprise.
Death is inevitable. For families, it brings sorrow and financial strain. For others, it brings income. The coffin trade, like the wider funeral industry, thrives on this paradox: the livelihood of many depends on the death of others, though none cause it. Nature does.
