Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone

The Finance Act 2025 introduces new investment incentives

08 Jan 2025

On 8 January 2025, Sierra Leone adopted the Finance Act 2025, which introduces several measures to incentivize investment. In particular:

Businesses registered in Sierra Leone with at least 20 per cent local ownership are eligible for exemptions, including: - A five-year exemption if they employ at least 100 full-time workers and invest a minimum of $5 million. - A ten-year exemption if they employ at least 150 full-time workers and invest $7.5 million or more.

Duty-free importation of plants and machinery: - New businesses investing at least $10 million can import plants and machinery duty-free for three years. - Existing businesses expanding with a minimum investment of $5 million also qualify.

Duty-free importation for renewable energy products: - Specific exemptions apply to photovoltaic systems, energy-efficient appliances and other renewable energy products, provided investors meet certain conditions, such as a minimum investment of $500,000 and the employment of at least 50 workers.

Tax incentives for research and development (R&D): - A 125 per cent tax deduction is available for expenses related to R&D, training and export promotion, encouraging innovation and capacity building.

Agribusiness tax exemptions: - Agribusinesses meeting specific criteria—such as cultivating large areas or investing in livestock—are fully exempt from corporate income tax. - Farm machinery, agro-processing equipment, agro-chemicals and other key inputs qualify for import duty exemptions

  • Type:
    • Promotion and facilitation (Investment incentives)
  • Industry:
    • Not industry specific
    • Primary (Agriculture, forestry and fishing)
    • Manufacturing (Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco products)
    • Services (Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Scientific research and development)
  • Sources: