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President Julius Maada Bio has ushered in 2026 with a call for resilience and accountability, terming the new year a “turning point” for Sierra Leone as his administration shifts focus from economic stabilization to delivering tangible results.
In his New Year’s Day National Address delivered on Thursday, President Bio cautioned citizens that 2026 would not be a year for “easy words or quick assurances,” but rather a “Year of Action” where government plans must translate into real improvements in daily life.
Economy and “Feed Salone” Acknowledging the global economic pressures of high living costs and tight fiscal space, the President emphasized that his government would avoid “quick fixes” that might offer short-term relief but create deeper problems later. He stated that the administration would continue to manage public finances carefully and live within its means.
“We have worked to stabilise our nation; now we must use that stability to deliver results,” Bio said.
Central to this agenda is the “Feed Salone” programme, which remains the administration’s top priority. The President stressed that a country unable to feed itself remains vulnerable, pledging continued support for farmers through better inputs, equipment, and transportation to protect families from high food prices.
War on “Kush”
Addressing the social challenges facing the nation, President Bio took a firm stance on the drug crisis, specifically mentioning the synthetic drug “Kush,” which he noted continues to damage lives and communities.
“My Government will remain firm in its fight against drugs and substance abuse. Those who produce, sell, or profit from drugs will face the full force of the law,” he warned, while also promising to strengthen rehabilitation services for victims. He appealed directly to the youth, declaring, “There is no future in addiction”.
Political Stability and 2028 Elections
Looking ahead to the political landscape, President Bio touched on the preparations for the 2028 General Elections. He reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Tripartite Agreement, calling these reforms essential for restoring confidence in the electoral process.
He urged political actors to act responsibly, warning that political competition must never undermine peace or disrupt public services.
The President concluded with a call for unity, urging Sierra Leoneans to place the national interest above all else and to work with integrity to build a stable future.
NEW YEAR’S DAY NATIONAL ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR JULIUS MAADA BIO PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE THURSDAY, 1ST JANUARY 2026
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
I wish you a peaceful and purposeful New Year, wherever you may be, at home or abroad.
I thank the Almighty God Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) for granting us life and bringing us to the beginning of this New Year.
For many families, 2026 has begun with concern, but also with hope. Hope that things will continue to improve.
I want to thank every Sierra Leonean for your patience, resilience, and sense of responsibility over the years.
Your endurance has mattered, and it has helped keep our country steady during difficult times.
As we enter 2026, I speak to you with a strong sense of duty and with confidence in the direction our country is moving.
This is not a year for easy words or quick assurances.
It is a year that requires steady leadership, careful decisions, and a shared effort from all of us.
I am encouraged that we begin this year more stable than before. Clearer about our challenges and more realistic about the choices we must make.
The task before our Government is not to promise more, but to ensure that what we do delivers results that people can recognise in their daily lives.
As President, I am clear about what you should expect from your Government: honesty about our challenges, careful use of public resources, respect for the law and institutions that serve the national interest.
I feel the weight of this responsibility every day, because the decisions we take affect families, jobs, and the future of our children.
But national progress does not depend on the Government alone.
It also depends on how we behave as citizens—how public servants do their work, how businesses operate, how communities resolve problems, and how we treat one another, especially in difficult times.
Change takes time, patience and cooperation from all of us. This understanding must guide us throughout 2026.
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
We begin this year at a time of serious global challenges.
Around the world, countries are facing high living costs, tight fiscal space, climate pressures, and uncertainty.
Sierra Leone is not untouched by these realities, but we are not helpless either.
In recent years, we have taken tough decisions to steady our economy, strengthen public institutions, and rebuild confidence.
These steps taken were not easy, but they were necessary to protect our future.
Therefore, the year 2026 is an important turning point.
We have worked to stabilise our nation; now we must use that stability to deliver results.
This must be a Year of Action. A year where plans translate into real improvements in people’s lives.
Our progress will be measured in simple ways: whether public services work better, whether food is more affordable, whether jobs are created, and whether the Government responds effectively when citizens need help.
With respect to our economy, we will manage public finances carefully.
We will live within our means, focus on what matters most, and use public funds openly and responsibly.
We will avoid quick fixes that bring short-term relief but create deeper problems later.
Some decisions will be painful in the present. But they are taken to protect our children’s future, prevent recurring crises, and ensure that we do not trade tomorrow for temporary comfort today.
Turning back from the progress we have made as a nation would only slow recovery and make life harder.
In this New Year, economic improvement must be felt in everyday life.
Families should be able to plan better. Businesses should be able to invest more. Farmers should have confidence that their hard work will pay off.
At the same time, we will continue to support those who are struggling most, in a fair and targeted way, without weakening the country’s recovery.
The steady path we are taking in 2026 is laying the foundation for stronger growth and better opportunities in the years ahead.
I. FEED SALONE: FOOD SECURITY AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
Food Security remains our top priority under the Big Five Game Changers.
Our Feed Salone Programme is built on a simple truth: a country that cannot feed itself remains vulnerable.
In 2026, we will continue to grow more of our own food and improve how it moves from farms to markets.
We will support farmers with better inputs, equipment, storage, and transportation.
These efforts protect families from high food prices and give farmers confidence to plan for the future.
We are also opening opportunities for young people in agriculture and agribusiness.
Modern farming requires skills, organisation, and commitment.
When agriculture works, it creates jobs, supports rural families, and strengthens the entire economy.
Our Feed Salone Programme is about food security, dignity, work, and national self-reliance.
II. INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND PROTECTING OUR YOUTH
Our National Development Plan puts people first.
Education remains a priority, with greater focus on quality and on skills that prepare our children for work and responsible citizenship.
We will continue to invest in healthcare, especially primary care, maternal and child health, and access to essential medicines, because a healthy population is a stronger and more productive one.
Drug abuse, particularly Kush, continues to damage lives and communities.
My Government will remain firm in its fight against drugs and substance abuse. Those who produce, sell, or profit from drugs will face the full force of the law.
At the same time, we will strengthen prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for those who seek help.
To our young people: the choices you make today shape your future. There is no future in addiction.
There is a future in learning, meaningful work, responsibility, and belief in yourself.
Sierra Leone needs your energy, discipline, and ideas.
III. DIVERSIFICATION AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
In 2026, we must continue to broaden our economy.
We will expand agriculture and agro-processing, fisheries, mining, tourism, renewable energy, oil and gas prospects, and the digital economy.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises are central to this effort. When they succeed, jobs are created, and communities grow stronger.
We invite credible investors to do business in Sierra Leone.
Our Government will continue to work to remove barriers, improve access to finance, and create a supportive environment in which businesses can grow and thrive.
IV. DEMOCRACY AND RESPONSIBLE POLITICS
FELLOW CITIZENS,
As Political Parties begin preparations for the 2028 General Elections, including the selection of their flagbearers, I call on all political actors to act responsibly and respect the law.
Political competition must never undermine peace, weaken our institutions, or disrupt the delivery of public services.
My Government remains fully committed to implementing the recommendations of the Tripartite Agreement.
These reforms are essential to restoring confidence in our electoral process and rebuilding trust in our democratic system.
V. CLOSING REMARKS: A STEADY HOPE
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
No nation solves all its problems in one year.
What matters is having a clear direction and the discipline to stay the course.
The reforms we are making are laying the foundation for a country where hard work is rewarded, institutions are trusted, and the next generation can look forward to a more stable future.
This year is not an end point; it is a bridge where steady effort begins to show tangible results.
Across our Churches, Mosques, and Traditional Institutions, we continue to draw strength from shared values of peace, unity, respect, and responsibility.
These values have sustained us through difficult times.
As we move through 2026, I call on every Sierra Leonean to respect the Constitution, uphold the rule of law, stay engaged, and place the national interest above all else.
Work with integrity, knowing that honesty and accountability build trust and strengthen our nation.
Keep building and investing, confident that today’s efforts shape tomorrow’s opportunities.
Lead with wisdom, choosing the common good over narrow interests.
Prepare for responsibility, for progress belongs to those ready to serve and contribute.
FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS,
I enter this New Year fully aware of our challenges, yet confident in our collective strength and ability to overcome them.
The road ahead requires patience, discipline, and unity, but it leads forward.
Sierra Leone has faced harder times before, and we have always moved ahead when we stood together, guided by shared values and a commitment to the common good.
If we remain focused and steady in our efforts, the work we do today will secure a more stable future and lasting progress for our nation.
I wish you a productive, peaceful, and hopeful New Year.
May God bless you, and may God bless the Republic of Sierra Leone.
