The Sierra Leonean Leone ended 2022 as the weakest currency on the African continent with a year-to-date loss of 40.58 per cent to the dollar, according to a Bloomberg report.

The report said that globally, the Leone placed 146th; the Ghanian Cedi placed 145th whilst the Argentina Peso and Sierra Lankan Rupee placed 147th and 148th respectively. They were classified as the currencies with the “Worst Spot Returns” by Bloomberg.

All these countries had challenges with their economies as debt levels had become unsustainable, whilst budget deficits had worryingly enlarged. In Africa, the Kenyan Shilling (-8.32%), The Gambian Dalasi (-15.28%), Malawian Kwacha (-20.51), New Sudanese Pound (-22.87%), Egyptian Pound (-36.46%), Ghana Cedi (-38.36%) and Sierra Leone Leone (-40.58%) were the currencies with the “Worst Spot Returns.”

For the “Best Spot Returns”, the Guinea Franc (7.67%), Somali Shilling (1.77%), Mozambique New Metical (0.37%), Djibouti Franc (-0.08%), Tanzania Shilling (-1.05%), Congolese Franc (-1.13%) and Rwanda Franc (-3.87%) were the strongest currencies in Africa in 2022.