The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) has presented its Le40,734,628 FY2027 budget, 2027–2029 Strategic Plan and Public Investment Programme (PIP) to the Ministry of Finance, outlining key interventions to advance national development planning, public investment management and coordinated service delivery.
The engagement was held on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre and chaired by the Deputy Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Ilara E. Mahdi. It brought together Directors and Deputy Directors from MoPED’s directorates, representatives of various programmes, District Budget Oversight Committees, Non-State Actors, civil society organisations, the media and members of the public.
The strategic and programme overview was presented by the Acting Development Secretary, Usman Cherry Conteh, who outlined MoPED’s mandate, FY2026 performance and planned interventions for the 2027–2029 period.
MoPED’s mandate is to coordinate and guide national development planning, policy formulation and implementation to promote sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. The Ministry’s work is delivered through its various directorates and programmes, including Planning, Policy and Research; Public Investment Management; Development Assistance Coordinating Office; NGO Affairs; Rural Development; Regional Integration and South-South Cooperation; Service Delivery and Performance; Monitoring and Evaluation; National Development-Induced Resettlement; and South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
The Acting Development Secretary highlighted several achievements recorded during FY2026, including the establishment and operationalisation of six Sector Working Groups and the delivery of capacity-building programmes for public officials.
He also cited the coordination of Sierra Leone’s Peacebuilding Fund re-eligibility process, strengthened development coordination across all 16 districts, progress in Chiefdom Development Planning, and interventions addressing project-affected communities and resettlement.
Additional achievements included progress in developing 10 bankable Blue Economy projects, completion of 20 Local Council Development Plans, rollout of the National Public Investment Management Policy to key MDAs and all 22 Local Councils, advancement of the Public Investment Management Information System (PIMIS), and strengthened coordination and oversight of NGOs.
Presenting the financial components of the budget, the Deputy Director of NGO Affairs, Dr. David A.K. Abu, took participants through MoPED’s FY2027 resource requirements and proposed allocations across its programmes and projects.
The Ministry’s FY2027 budget amounts to Le40,734,628,000, with the proposed resources linked to the Ministry’s strategic priorities and interventions under the 2027–2029 Public Investment Programme.
The PIP includes the establishment of a Project Preparation Facility; strengthened district development coordination; decentralisation and popularisation of the National Development Plan; development of PIMIS; establishment of an Induced Resettlement Secretariat; digitalisation of Service Level Agreements; implementation of C-PIMA reforms; integration of the Wan Fambul National Framework into the implementation of the MTNDP; and development of guidelines for sector strategies aligned with the MTNDP and the SDGs.
Other FY2027 priorities include developing and packaging 10 bankable, investment-ready national projects; operationalising PIMIS across MDAs and Local Councils; convening one Presidential and three Ministerial DEPAC meetings; strengthening development assistance coordination; digitising the NGO Service-Level Agreement process; advancing South-South and Triangular Cooperation; and developing and operationalising resettlement regulations.
The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session led by the Ministry of Finance technical team under the direction of Dr. Ilara E. Mahdi. The team sought clarifications, offered suggestions and shared insights on MoPED’s programmes, budget proposals and planned interventions.
Representatives from District Budget Oversight Committees, Non-State Actors, civil society organisations and the media also raised questions on issues discussed during the engagement, while Directors and Deputy Directors from the respective MoPED directorates provided responses and further explanations within their areas of responsibility.
The presentation subsequently proceeded to the next stage, with Samuel Jeremiah moving the motion for the budget to be approved, seconded by Yeabu Kargbo from Port Loko District.
The engagement strengthened understanding of MoPED’s mandate, programmes, budget priorities and planned interventions for FY2027, while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, accountability and effective coordination in national development planning and the responsible use of public resources in support of Sierra Leone’s development priorities.
MoPED Communication