By Alusine Sesay
Sierra Leone’s national year-on-year inflation rate has fallen to 9.38% in April 2025, marking a significant milestone—the first time inflation has reached single digits since May 2021. This decline, reported by Statistics Sierra Leone, reflects a 1.33 percentage point drop from 10.71% in March 2025.
Despite the national decline, the monthly consumer price inflation saw a slight uptick, rising to 0.83% in April, compared to 0.24% in March.
Key Market Shifts
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) data indicates notable downward movements in specific sectors:
- Furnishings, household equipment, and maintenance dropped 6.85 percentage points to 10.21% in April, down from 17.06% in March.
- Restaurants and hotels recorded a 3.00 percentage point decline, moving from 21.46% in March to 18.46% in April.
However, inflation in Communication and Transport saw increases:
- Communication climbed 1.57 percentage points, reaching 4.59% in April from 3.02% in March.
- Transport rose by 1.03 percentage points, up from 3.59% in March to 4.62% in April.
Regional Inflation Trends
Four out of Sierra Leone’s five regions saw inflation reductions, with some achieving single-digit inflation:
- Northern region: Dropped to 6.00% (from 10.94% in March)
- North-west region: Declined to 6.28% (from 9.04% in March)
- Southern region: Down to 6.39% (from 7.43% in March)
- Western region: Slightly decreased to 12.46% (from 13.02% in March)
Conversely, the Eastern region recorded an increase, rising to 8.17% in April, up from 7.87% in March.
Key Takeaways
The April 2025 inflation rate marks a major breakthrough, reflecting stabilizing economic conditions. The headline inflation rate dropped across various sectors and regions, with four out of five regions reporting single-digit inflation. Furthermore, food inflation has plummeted to its lowest point in five years, reducing its impact by more than four times (4.28) over the past year.
While the Western Region remains an outlier with its inflation above the national average, the overall trend suggests improving economic stability.
Understanding Inflation & CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average price level of selected goods and services across Sierra Leone. Inflation—the percentage change in CPI over time—affects consumer spending, production costs, and government policies.
Sierra Leone’s CPI is based on 440 items, with prices collected from multiple markets across the country, using the Modified Laspeyres formula under the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) framework.
With inflation reaching a five-year low, Sierra Leoneans may see relief in household expenses, but continued economic monitoring and stability measures will be essential in maintaining this progress.