Sierra Leone Launches First-Ever National Comedy Competition With NLe 100,000 Top Prize

A nationwide comedy contest aimed at promoting the art form and supporting young talent is set to run from February to May 2026, organizers announced on Monday.

The inaugural Premier Comedy Competition is a joint initiative of Premier Media Group Limited and the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), with partnership support from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.

According to a press release issued on 16th December 2025, the competition seeks to promote comedy as a worthwhile career path for youth, encourage excellence among practising comedians, and motivate business enterprises to invest in the local comedy scene.

The contest is open to Sierra Leonean stand-up comedians aged 18 and above from any part of the country. Applicants must complete a form and pay a fee of NLe 100. Forms will be available online and at SLBC stations nationwide.

The competition will begin with regional auditions in all regional headquarter cities, where a panel of judges will select four qualifiers from each region. These 20 contestants will then face two elimination rounds, each cutting four performers, leaving 12 to advance to the quarter-finals.

From there, three contestants will be eliminated in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, leaving six finalists to compete for the top prize.

The winner will receive NLe 100,000, with the first and second runners-up earning NLe 30,000 and NLe 20,000 respectively.

Five live shows with audiences will be held from the elimination rounds through to the final, with venues to be announced. The public will also have a role in selecting winners through SMS voting on mobile networks; details will be provided later.

Organizers are encouraging both new and established comedians to apply, noting that the competition offers national exposure and opportunities to build professional profiles.

For further information, interested participants are advised to contact Premier Media Group Ltd or the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation.