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The Government of Sierra Leone does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, according to the latest US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report. The country has therefore remained on Tier 2 for 2025.
The report noted that Sierra Leone secured convictions of traffickers for the first time in two years and slightly increased the number of identified victims. The government also adopted a revised National Action Plan (NAP) and increased funding for anti-trafficking prevention activities.
However, challenges persist. The report highlighted fewer trafficking investigations compared to the previous year, limited services for victims—particularly men—and an inoperable national anti-trafficking hotline. Cooperation with foreign counterparts on cross-border investigations was also lacking.
The US report recommended that Sierra Leone expand protection services for all victims, increase investigations and prosecutions with adequate penalties, and provide more training for police, prosecutors, and judges on the 2022 Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act. It also urged stronger regional cooperation and improved data collection.
Human trafficking remains a serious concern in Sierra Leone, with victims exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor across sectors such as agriculture, mining, fishing, and domestic servitude. Vulnerable groups, including children, undocumented migrants, and women seeking work abroad, remain at the highest risk.
