The Ministry of Finance has completed its final stakeholder consultation on the proposed revised Public Financial Management Act, 2026, marking an important step towards modernizing Sierra Leone’s fiscal governance framework.
The consultation, held on Friday, 21 August 2026, at the Ministry’s Conference Room on George Street in Freetown, brought together Ministers, Deputy Ministers and representatives from various Government institutions.
The engagement followed a series of consultations with key stakeholders and formed part of the Government’s efforts to develop legislation that reflects current economic conditions and emerging financial-management practices.
The proposed reforms are expected to strengthen fiscal discipline, improve accountability and promote greater efficiency in the management of public funds.
Chairing the consultation, Financial Secretary, Matthew Dingie, said public financial management is constantly evolving and must respond effectively to new economic, institutional and technological challenges.
He described the final consultation as a crucial stage in reviewing and refining the legislation before it advances to Cabinet and Parliament.
Matthew Dingie assured participants that their observations, concerns and recommendations would be properly recorded and carefully assessed during the finalization of the draft Act.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to conducting an inclusive, transparent and evidence-based review process that protects the public interest and improves the country’s financial-management system.
Acting Minister of Finance, Khadijah Alie, welcomed the review, describing it as timely and necessary for strengthening Sierra Leone’s fiscal-governance architecture.
She said a modern public financial management framework is required to support effective fiscal planning, responsible treasury operations, stronger financial oversight and better management of risks that could affect the national budget.
Madam Khadijah Alie also stressed that the revised legislation should recognize the growing importance of digital financial-management systems and other emerging approaches to administering public resources.
Technical presentations delivered by the Ministry’s legal representative and public financial management consultants examined the existing Public Financial Management Act of 2016 and outlined the reasons for its review.
The presentations also highlighted emerging challenges and proposed reforms, including the introduction of new provisions and the expansion or modification of existing sections of the law.
Following the presentations, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their representatives engaged in discussions on various aspects of the draft legislation.
Participants raised concerns, offered suggestions and proposed practical measures intended to improve the clarity, effectiveness and implementation of the revised Act.
Their recommendations focused on ensuring that the legislation adequately addresses Sierra Leone’s current public financial management requirements while remaining adaptable to future economic and technological developments.
The Ministry of Finance assured participants that all submissions made during the consultation would be documented and considered before the draft legislation is finalized.
The completion of the consultation represents a major milestone in the review process. The proposed revised Public Financial Management Act is expected to be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and approval before being presented to Parliament.
