Sierra Leone’s economy is expected to grow by 4.3% in 2025, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. This is an upward revision from the bank’s June forecast of 4.2%.

The report says that the upward revision is due to “macro-fiscal reforms gradually bearing fruit.” The bank also says that per capita income is expected to reach its pre-pandemic level in 2025.

However, the report also notes that inflation remains a challenge in Sierra Leone. Headline consumer price inflation is forecast to be 10.5% in 2024, down from 12.5% in 2023, but still well above the government’s target of 5%.

The World Bank says that the high cost of living is worsening the economic hardship of the poor and increasing food insecurity across the region. In West Africa, a significant portion of the population—often even the majority in countries like Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Sierra Leone—has insufficient food.

The bank is urging governments in the region to implement policies to reduce inflation and protect the poor. These policies could include measures to boost food production, improve social safety nets, and target subsidies to the most vulnerable.