By Alex Lansana Claye
The Ministry of Sports has officially requested NLe 8,281,600 for its 2026–2028 budget cycle, citing major achievements and urgent funding needs to drive inclusive and sustainable sports development across Sierra Leone.
The request was made during the Ministry’s presentation of its Strategic Plan and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the Ministry of Finance in Freetown. Led by Director of Sports, Haroun Koijie, the team outlined both accomplishments and ongoing challenges in sports coordination and supervision.
“We are not a revenue-generating body,” Koijie stressed. “Our mandate is to coordinate and supervise sports through the National Sports Authority. But without proper resources, we cannot deliver results effectively.”
Koijie revealed that the Ministry had requested NLe 9.76 million for 2025 but received only NLe 5.5 million, with just NLe 1.89 million disbursed so far this year. He also raised concerns about basic logistical issues, including the lack of official vehicles for both himself and the Permanent Secretary, which limits field supervision and nationwide monitoring.
Despite these constraints, the Ministry celebrated key wins, most notably the Sierra Leone U-16 Male Basketball Team’s silver medal at the FIBA Africa Zone 2 Tournament in Senegal, which qualified them for the FIBA Nations Cup in Rwanda this month.
Minister of Sports, Madam Augusta James-Teima, opened the session with a strong appeal for increased investment in sports. “Sports is not just recreation,” she said. “It’s a tool for youth empowerment, national unity, and international recognition. With the proposed funding, we aim to scale up our impact.”
Key priorities in the Ministry’s 2026–2028 plan include:
- Enacting six new sports policies and regulations
- Recruiting and training 10 new sports officers
- Expanding oversight of school and university sports
- Monitoring sports funds across all 22 local councils
- Hiring 20 additional staff to improve supervision
The Ministry’s appeal was strongly endorsed by civil society organisations, non-state actors, the District Budget Oversight Committee, and members of the media; all urging the Ministry of Finance to allocate more resources to sports development.
