Freetown, Sierra Leone – 21 June 2025 – A new Afrobarometer survey has revealed that the Sierra Leone Police is viewed by citizens as the most corrupt institution in the country, with an alarming 73% of respondents saying that “most” or “all” police officers are involved in corrupt practices.
The 2025 report, released on Thursday, paints a troubling picture of public trust in key institutions. Alongside the police, business executives (51%), Members of Parliament (49%), tax officials (49%), and local government councillors (41%) were also identified as significantly corrupt by Sierra Leoneans.
Despite positive feedback on the government’s performance in handling education (69%), conflict resolution (72%), crime reduction (64%), and health services (53%), the report shows widespread dissatisfaction in areas like job creation, poverty reduction, and income inequality.
Crucially, fewer than half of respondents believe the government is doing a good job fighting corruption. Only 30% of citizens feel safe reporting corrupt activities to authorities without fear of retaliation — a figure that has dropped four points since 2022. A concerning 69% say whistleblowers risk reprisals for speaking out.
“This data should concern anyone committed to reform and accountability,” said a representative from the Institute for Governance Reform, which conducted the survey on behalf of Afrobarometer. “The public perception of corruption within the police and other state bodies severely undermines trust in government.”
The findings are based on face-to-face interviews with 1,200 randomly selected adult Sierra Leoneans conducted between March and April 2025. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
While the report acknowledges improvements in managing inflation, it also notes a decline in public approval for the government’s performance on creating jobs, reducing poverty, and addressing income inequality since the 2022 survey.
Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan research network, has conducted nine rounds of surveys across the continent since 1999. The 2025 Sierra Leone report is part of its 10th round of national assessments on democracy, governance, and public service delivery.
As public confidence in anti-corruption efforts appears to be waning, the report underscores a pressing need for institutional reforms and greater protection for whistleblowers to restore public trust.
