Freetown, 3rd September 2025 — The Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Honourable Kenyeh Barlay, has emphasized the importance of strengthening Sierra Leone’s Public Investment Programme (PIP) as a cornerstone for fiscal discipline and sustainable development. She made this statement while addressing a one-day technical workshop on Capital Baseline Costing and the Forward-Looking Public Investment Programme (PIP) held at Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown.
The workshop, jointly organized by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and the Ministry of Finance with support from the World Bank, brought together technical experts and focal persons from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to rationalize Sierra Leone’s capital investment portfolio and strengthen its alignment with the 2026 national budget process.
In her keynote statement, Minister Barlay said the workshop could not have come at a better time, as Sierra Leone advances into the third year of implementing its Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030) and prepares for the plan’s mid-term evaluation.
“When we first developed this plan, seven years felt like a long time. Yet here we are, approaching the mid-point. Sierra Leone has already been commended for producing a comprehensive and costed development plan. Now, we must equally be commended for effective implementation—and that is why this workshop is so important,” she noted.
The Minister thanked the World Bank for its consistent support, particularly in advancing CAPEX analysis and the near-completion of the Public Investment Management Information System (PIMIS). She stressed that the outcomes of the CAPEX analysis and forward-looking PIP would underpin historic reforms with far-reaching impacts on Sierra Leone’s development trajectory.
She also outlined two critical directives that will shape government’s approach going forward. No new programme or project will be included in the FY2026 budget without adequate funding provision, and no project will progress through the budget without a completed project profile and full integration into the investment planning process.
“These are bold reforms. If implemented well, they will restore credibility to our national budget and place Sierra Leone on stronger macroeconomic footing,” Minister Barlay affirmed.
Chairing the session, Ambrose James, Development Secretary, underscored the Ministry’s gatekeeping role in ensuring efficiency and accountability in public investments. He acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Finance, the World Bank, and focal persons from MDAs, stressing the importance of teamwork in confronting challenges in capital project implementation.
“The fiscal space remains extremely tight. The purpose of this workshop is to reset the framework of the Public Investment Programme and move towards a more credible, transparent, and sustainable model,” he stated.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the World Bank, Dr. Mohamed Adama Jalloh, Public Sector Specialist, described the PIP as the biggest fiscal exposure facing Sierra Leone.
“Our budget today is not credible, it is not predictable, and our PIP is not realistic. This is not a judgment—it is a reality we must face together. But with the reforms underway, and with your active participation, we can turn the page,” Dr. Jalloh said.
He highlighted energy and water as sectors with particularly high fiscal risks and emphasized the importance of generating accurate and evidence-based data to guide decision-making for the FY2026 Public Investment Programme.
Dr. Ilara Mahdi, Deputy Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, reaffirmed her ministry’s support for MoPED-led reforms. She commended the CAPEX analysis and noted that baseline costing is an important tool for forecasting the cost of ongoing projects and ensuring that new projects are only admitted into the budget if affordable.
“Through baseline estimates, government can determine whether there is enough fiscal space to accommodate new projects. This ensures that the PIP is both credible and affordable,” Dr. Mahdi explained.
She further emphasized that the FY2026 budget call circular commits government to apply this approach across capital expenditure, recurrent spending, and payroll.
The workshop provided an opportunity for focal persons from selected MDAs to complete baseline costing templates and rationalize ongoing projects in preparation for the FY2026 national budget and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
Alpha K. Bangura, Director of Public Investment Management at MoPED, gave a brief analysis of the process and assured participants of MoPED’s leadership in coordinating reforms that will enhance project selection, improve budget credibility, and optimize financing strategies.
