Sierra Leone Suspends $25 Airport Security Levy
A long-drawn battle over the controversial $25 airport security levy on passengers travelling into and out of Freetown International Airport has finally ended, with the Ministry of Transport and Aviation suspending the charge, effective tomorrow, July 6, 2026, pending a forensic investigation into the validity of the levy.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport & Aviation, Alh Fanday Turay
This medium, in particular, has consistently questioned the rationale behind the levy, which was collected outside the ticketing process, unlike the practice in many other countries.
Long queues, passenger fatigue, and other inconveniences were among the compelling reasons for its abolition.
The suspension of the airport levy is a welcome development for three strategic reasons:
- It will have a multiplier effect by reducing the prices of goods and services in the domestic market.
- It will ease travel time and minimise passenger fatigue for both arriving and departing travellers.
- It will bolster the ease of doing business in the country.
With this development, Sierra Leone has moved closer to meeting international aviation standards. The decision also comes at a time when President Bio is preparing to host a landmark ECOWAS Heads of State Summit, just a stone’s throw from the country’s international airport.
A magnificent conference centre, presidential villas, and state-of-the-art conference facilities are almost ready for the July ECOWAS Summit, the biggest regional gathering to be hosted by President Bio since Sierra Leone hosted the OAU Summit—now the African Union (AU)—under the late President Siaka Stevens in 1980.
By suspending the airport levy and hosting the July ECOWAS Summit, President Bio appears determined to leave a lasting legacy with just two years remaining in his stewardship.
