By Mohamed Kamara
The National Sports Authority (NSA) has formally appealed to the Ministry of Finance for NLe 350 million (350 billion old Leones) in the 2026 national budget to support its expanding portfolio of sports development activities across Sierra Leone.
NSA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai stressed the importance of adequate funding to unlock the potential of youth through sports.
“Sports is about young people and creating jobs for the youthful population. That requires enough resources,” he said.
The NSA boss revealed that the Authority’s original budget ceiling was NLe 126 million, but due to the increasing scope of planned programs, aligned with the government’s “Five Big Game Changers”, the NSA has requested a total of NLe 350 million.
He noted that part of the funding will go toward promoting under-supported disciplines such as cricket, basketball, and volleyball, while also addressing infrastructure gaps and expanding grassroots outreach.
Despite limited allocations in past years, Dr. Abdulai mentioned key successes, including Sierra Leone’s U-17 girls’ success at the WAFU Tournament in Liberia in which they were crowned champions.
“We are doing more with less, but to sustain and expand these gains, we need strong financial backing,” he added.
Established by an Act of Parliament, the NSA is the statutory body responsible for coordinating and developing sports activities nationwide.
