Finance Minister Promises Continued Push for PFM Reforms as World Bank Scoping Mission Begins

On Monday, January 26, 2026, the Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, reassured a World Bank scoping team of Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to deepening reforms in Public Financial Management (PFM) to deliver improved public services. The assurances came as he officially welcomed the World Bank’s scoping mission for the proposed Strengthening Accountability and Local Oversight for the New Generation Public Financial Management Project, a program aimed at improving financial oversight, accountability, and efficiency in public sector operations.
The multidisciplinary mission, which was introduced to the Minister by World Bank Country Manager Abdu Muwonge, will consult with a wide range of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as civil society organisations from Monday, January 26 to Friday, January 30, 2026. The consultations aim to shape the project’s priorities and scope, with key goals such as increasing accountability in PFM, improving local-level oversight mechanisms, defining project activities, identifying draft results indicators, and agreeing on project preparation and implementation arrangements.
Along with outlining the information and schedules required for project preparation, the mission will also start conversations on fiduciary, technical, environmental, and social standards. Raymond Muhala, the mission lead and a World Bank Public Sector Specialist, described the purpose, scope, and important elements of the consultations, stressing the necessity of in-depth discussion on sequencing, viability, and national ownership.
Minister Bangura thanked the World Bank for its long-standing support for Sierra Leone’s PFM reforms, emphasising that the new project should supplement and build on existing achievements. He urged interventions to be prioritised in order to provide value for money and build on previous progress. He emphasised the importance of aligning the new project with advancements in procurement systems, the EGP, revenue mobilisation efforts, local council reforms, budget credibility measures, and actions to address outstanding audit recommendations.
Kaddiatu Allie, the Deputy Minister of Finance I, urged the mission to assess the progress made thus far and suggest practical strategies for expanding upon it. She emphasised district-level revenue mobilisation and decentralisation as areas where the mission should determine what is effective and what needs to be improved.
Several senior government officials and technical directors contributed to the day’s activities. The Chief Economist, the Chief Executive of the National Public Procurement Authority, and heads of public procurement, internal and external audit, public investment management, and PFM interoperability all made contributions. These discussions centred on potential project components as well as implementation arrangements.
The World Bank team will continue consultations throughout the week and will meet with Minister Bangura for a wrap-up meeting on Friday, January 30, 2026, to review stakeholder feedback and agree on next steps in project preparation.