Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has officially kicked off the FY2027 budget process, calling on ministries and agencies to focus spending on national priorities while stressing the government’s push for job creation, private-sector growth and tight fiscal control.
Speaking at the Miata Civic Centre under the theme “Building Resilience to Create Jobs,” the Vice President made it clear that lasting jobs for Sierra Leone’s young people cannot come mainly from government payrolls.
Sustainable employment, he said, depends on a strong private sector backed by good policies, reliable infrastructure and reforms that make the country more attractive to investors.
Dr Jalloh highlighted the vital role of partnerships. He thanked development partners for standing with Sierra Leone through tough times and for helping strengthen institutions, improve the investment climate and expand public-private partnerships.
He specifically praised the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Union, describing the EU as a longstanding and reliable partner. Their support has covered infrastructure, social programmes, institutional reforms and technical assistance, and is increasingly focused on private-sector growth, access to finance and a better business environment.
He linked this assistance directly to progress on the government’s flagship Big Five Game Changers, Feed Salone (food security and agriculture), Human Capital Development, the Youth Employment Scheme, Technology and Infrastructure, and Transforming the Public Service Architecture.
The Vice President set out five clear guiding principles for the FY2027 budget:
– Realism in revenue and spending plans
– Prioritising essential investments
– Public spending that actively supports growth
– Evidence-based tax policies
– Effective implementation so that money delivers real results — working classrooms, reliable electricity, productive roads and finance reaching viable businesses
With Sierra Leone facing global economic pressures and domestic fiscal challenges, Dr Jalloh urged stronger discipline, smarter ways to raise resources and closer collaboration with partners.
“Our task is to use the resources available to us more intelligently, create space for the private sector to thrive, and ensure that public policy supports rather than constrains productive economic activity,” he concluded.
The launch follows the Ministry of Finance’s issuance of the FY2027 Budget Call Circular in mid-August 2026, which formally starts the process of preparing the next national budget. Previous budget cycles have similarly stressed domestic revenue mobilisation, fiscal discipline and alignment with the Big Five priorities as Sierra Leone works to build resilience and create more opportunities for its people.
