“From $1.6 billion in 2017 to $3.2 billion in 2025” – APC Politician Accuses Bio’s Government of Doubling Sierra Leone’s Debt

Chairman of the All People’s Congress (APC) in Falaba District, Hon. Lahai Marah, has alleged that Sierra Leone’s public debt has doubled under the current administration led by President Julius Maada Bio and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

According to Marah, Sierra Leone’s national debt, which stood at $1.6 billion in 2017, has now risen to $3.2 billion as of 2025. This marks an increase of $1.6 billion during the SLPP’s tenure, an amount that Marah contends has not been matched by significant economic development or visible infrastructure improvements.

“The total public debt has more than doubled under the SLPP rule, rising from $1.6 billion in 2017 to $3.2 billion in 2025. This sharp increase raises questions about how these funds have been managed and utilized,” Marah said, referring to the administration’s borrowing practices.

Marah also compared the growth of national debt under the SLPP to the period of the APC’s governance. “In 2007, Sierra Leone’s debt stood at just $910 million. The APC government, while also facing challenges, was able to manage the debt at a slower pace compared to the current administration,” he added.

The APC Chairman further emphasized that while the SLPP government had increased the national debt, tangible results in terms of infrastructure and economic growth were not clearly visible. “Under the APC, we saw substantial infrastructure development. Today, the current SLPP administration has added $1.6 billion to the debt, but there are few comparable outputs to show for it,” Marah argued.

He also expressed concern over Sierra Leone’s foreign reserves, which he said have been severely depleted under the current regime. “Sierra Leone now has only 1.7 months of import cover left in its foreign reserves, leaving the country vulnerable to any external economic shocks,” he warned.

Marah’s comments extended to a broader critique of the government’s economic management, particularly highlighting issues such as rising prices of essential commodities. “Prices of goods could soon skyrocket, causing untold suffering for the Sierra Leonean people,” he said.

He called on the SLPP government to provide a detailed account of the $1.6 billion added to the national debt, rather than attributing it solely to flagship projects like the “Free Quality Education” initiative and the “Fake Feed Salone” program.

“The SLPP will need to justify how this money has been spent, rather than just pointing to initiatives like Free Quality Education or their so-called Fake Feed Salone,” Marah concluded.