Invest
Getting started in Sierra Leone
What to expect when you enter Sierra Leone and set up a business: registration, licences, land, hiring, tax and visas.
The environment
- Government reforms are improving the conditions for investment.
- The country has been politically stable since 2002.
- The legal system is based on English common law.
- NIB promotes investment and helps with licensing.
Forming a business
- Register with the National Investment Board.
- Obtain the licences that apply to your sector, for example in mining or energy.
- Land is held by lease, for up to 99 years in mining and agriculture.
- Incentives include tax holidays and duty exemptions.
Law and regulation
- Reforms aim to reduce delay and make processes more open.
- Contract enforcement and dispute resolution have improved.
- The independence of the judiciary is being strengthened.
Hiring
- A young, adaptable workforce with rising literacy.
- Employment law follows the common law, with variations by sector.
- Expatriate staff need work permits.
- Workers' rights cover wages, safety and collective bargaining.
Paying tax
- The tax system includes value added tax, income tax and customs duties, and the National Revenue Authority collects them.
- Tax holidays, exemptions and other incentives are available.
- Reforms aim to simplify administration and reduce corruption.
Visas
- A visa is needed to enter, obtained at an embassy or at the border for most nationalities.
- Permits come as tourist, business, work and residence permits.
- Work permits depend on sponsorship by an employer.
- Bilateral agreements ease travel for investors.
Guides
The first step is a business name and a registration. Both are done online.