Beyond The Rhetoric: Fact-checking President Bio’s 2025 State Opening Address

Julius Maada Bio

By Mahmud Tim Kargbo

President Julius Maada Bio entered Parliament in August with the cadence of triumph. He promised a nation where rice is cheaper, jobs are plentiful, corruption is shrinking, and public services are expanding. His address painted Sierra Leone as a country on the cusp of transformation, stable, modern, and self sufficient. Access the full speech here:

(https://statehouse.gov.sl/presidential-address-delivered-by-his-excellency-dr-julius-maada-bio-g-c-r-s-l-president-of-the-republic-and-commander-in-chief-of-the-republic-of-sierra-leone-armed-forces-on-the-occasion-of-the-st)

Yet when the applause fades and the claims are set against independent data, a different story emerges. Sierra Leone still sits at the bottom of human development tables, remains in the serious hunger category, struggles with youth unemployment, and spends much of its scarce revenue servicing debt. Internet access is costly, power is unreliable, and the rice mills hailed as a breakthrough in food security remain undocumented in cost, ownership, and output.

The uncomfortable truth is that citizens are being offered optimism without disclosure. Where transparency should build trust, selective storytelling risks eroding it. Leadership is not measured by words in Parliament, but by whether a farmer in Kailahun, a student in Makeni, or a nurse in Bo feels the progress claimed. Sierra Leoneans deserve numbers they can verify, not promises they cannot cash.

Human Development

The President spoke of “significant strides in human capital and human development.” In reality, Sierra Leone’s Human Development Index remains firmly in the low tier, hovering between 0.467 and 0.477.

(https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks). This rank places the country among the lowest globally. Gains in life expectancy, schooling, or income are welcome, but they begin from such a low base that talk of transformation is premature. The government has yet to publish a disaggregated account showing which communities and income groups are benefiting most.

Hunger and Food Security

Rice is the political crop of Sierra Leone. The President claimed production had risen by 8 percent, cutting imports by 13 percent and lowering prices by 20 percent. Three new mills were announced as proof of progress. Yet the Global Hunger Index continues to rank Sierra Leone in the “serious” category (https://www.globalhungerindex.org/sierra-leone.html), and the World Food Programme warns of persistent food insecurity. (https://www.wfp.org/countries/sierra-leone).

Under the law, procurement and financial management of the mills must be transparent. Citizens are entitled to see the contract values, the owners and operators, the throughput, and the real impact on import bills and retail prices. None of this information has been made public. Without it, bold claims about rice remain unverifiable.

Economic Growth and Stability

The government presented the macroeconomic ledger as a success: GDP growth of 4 percent in 2024, inflation brought down from 54 percent to below 10, and debt reduced to 39.5 percent of GDP. But these headline figures omit uncomfortable truths. The World Bank notes that growth slowed in 2024 compared to the previous year, largely because of weaker iron ore exports.

(https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/sierraleone). The IMF warns that debt service remains an acute burden on public finances (https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/SLE). The question is not only whether inflation fell, but how sustainable this path is, and what the debt service to revenue ratio really looks like.

Youth Employment

Jobs for young people remain the perennial promise. The President reminded Parliament of his pledge to create half a million jobs in five years, and claimed delivery across agriculture, mining, energy, construction, and the digital sector. Yet without PAYE verified figures, there is no evidence that net formal jobs have been created. ILO data still show high levels of unemployment and informality.

(https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/country-profiles/). Announcing opportunities is not the same as creating sustainable work with contracts, wages, and social contributions.

Digital Infrastructure and Energy

The speech celebrated over 100 million dollars in financing for fibre expansion, digital skills, and online services. There is progress, but Sierra Leone remains far from the global affordability benchmark. The cost of 1GB of data remains well above the 2 percent of monthly income threshold set by the UN Broadband Commission.

(https://a4ai.org/affordability-report/). Coverage gaps persist, and poor electricity supply continues to undermine digital access (https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx).

Perhaps the boldest pledge was the target of generating 1,000 megawatts of power by 2030. Current installed capacity is around 160 MW, much of it unreliable. Moving to 1,000 MW in five years would require unprecedented investment, radical reform of the energy sector, and sustained external support. Aspirations alone will not keep the lights on.

Transparency and Accountability

The President spoke of modern financial systems: IFMIS expansion across ministries, online asset declarations, and a performance audit culture. These are steps forward, but systems alone do not prevent abuse. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index places Sierra Leone in the lower third globally, with a score around 34 out of 100.

(https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/sierra-leone). International partners and Audit Service Sierra Leone continue to highlight procurement violations, unsupported payments, and poor implementation of audit recommendations.

Agriculture and Feed Salone

The “Feed Salone” initiative was pitched as a path to self sufficiency, with promises of jobs for farmers and dignity for young people. The reality remains that Sierra Leone is highly reliant on imported food, vulnerable to price shocks, and short on irrigation and yield data. FAO and WFP reports confirm continuing import dependence.

(https://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index/en/?iso3=SLE; https://www.wfp.org/countries/sierra-leone). Until hectares irrigated, yields per acre, and audited mill outputs are disclosed, the aspiration of self sufficiency will remain just that, an aspiration.

Health and Social Progress

One of the most striking claims was that maternal and newborn deaths had fallen by 70 percent. If accurate, this would be among the fastest improvements in the world. But WHO and UNICEF datasets suggest progress is steady rather than spectacular (https://www.who.int/countries/sle/). Immunisation coverage has improved, but maternal mortality remains among the highest globally. Such a sweeping claim requires disaggregated verification from credible surveys.

Peace, Security and Democracy

The President highlighted Sierra Leone’s ranking in the 2025 Global Peace Index, second most peaceful in West Africa and 57th globally. This is an achievement, but it glosses over persistent risks: the drug crisis, electoral tensions, and fragile policing. He also pointed to the Tripartite Committee reviewing 80 electoral reform proposals. That process is historic, but its worth will be judged by whether reforms are enacted before 2028, and whether both government and opposition accept the results.

He reminded Parliament of his appointment as ECOWAS Chair in June 2025. This is an honour, but it comes at a moment of turbulence, with the bloc divided over coups and sanctions in the Sahel. The challenges will test whether Sierra Leone’s leadership is symbolic or substantive.

Corruption, Procurement, and Extractives

On corruption, the President declared that accountability is not optional, citing asset declaration compliance of 90 percent and NLe 35 million in recovered funds. Yet these figures sit uneasily beside independent measures. Transparency International places Sierra Leone among the weakest two thirds of countries (https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/sierra-leone), and Audit Service Sierra Leone continues to document widespread procurement breaches, arrears, and unsupported payments (https://www.auditservice.gov.sl/).

In the mining sector, the rhetoric of reform sits beside opaque contracts, fiscal concessions, and limited disclosure of royalties or beneficial ownership. Without publication of contracts, fiscal terms, and open contracting data, the promise of transparency is unfulfilled. Citizens are entitled by law to see how their resources are being used.

Environment and Climate

In July, the Gola Rainforest and Tiwai Island were recognised as Sierra Leone’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is a genuine milestone for conservation. Yet the designation will only mean something if laws are enforced against logging and illegal mining. UNESCO recognition is not a substitute for budgeted protection (https://whc.unesco.org/).

Leadership, Manifestos, and the Social Contract

The SLPP manifestos of 2018 and 2023 acknowledged Sierra Leone’s problems with jobs, agriculture, and accountability (http://www.slpponline.com/manifesto; http://www.slpponline.com/manifesto-2023). Governing with candour now means publishing the uncomfortable numbers: debt service ratios, youth employment data, rice imports, and real mill outputs. Citizens deserve truth, not selective optimism.

Risks of Spin and Opaque Deals

The danger of painting an overly bright picture is that it undermines trust. When procurement is hidden, when mining contracts are opaque, when anti corruption claims are at odds with global indices, the government risks social backlash and fiscal strain. Development depends not on applause in Parliament, but on disclosure in practice.

President Bio’s State Opening address of 2025 was rich in promise and full of narrative polish. But much of it collapses under scrutiny. Progress is real in parts, peace rankings, immunisation, UNESCO recognition, yet overstated or incomplete elsewhere, especially on jobs, food security, health, and corruption.

The choice before Sierra Leone’s leadership is simple: govern with candour, publishing the uncomfortable truths, or continue with selective storytelling that citizens no longer believe. True accountability means facts, not spin.