Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio made a strong impression at the 17th edition of armed forces day on February 18, 2026, by announcing a series of landmark measures for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF).
The Head of State launched the first locally designed national defense policy and strategy a document that, in his words, “reflects our vision of a professional, capable, and development-oriented military that can effectively protect our sovereignty and contribute meaningfully to national progress.” This initiative is part of the government’s “Big Five Game Changers” and aims to provide the country with a strategic framework tailored to Sierra Leone’s specific realities.
In recognition of the military’s commitment, President Bio announced a 25% salary increase for all ranks, effective from April 2026.
He also gave the green light for the creation of an explosives management service for the mining sector, as well as the establishment of a Civil Engineering Corporation to strengthen the country’s national infrastructure capabilities.
Priority projects identified include the construction and rehabilitation of strategic roads.
In line with his vision of a military that contributes to development, President Bio announced the allocation of 10,000 acres of agricultural land to the RSLAF as part of the Feed Salone food sovereignty program.
The dividends of this initiative are already tangible: land cultivated by the military exceeds 7,000 acres of rice across several districts, and the institution manages approximately 640 acres of cashew nuts.
Before 2023, Sierra Leone spent nearly $250 million annually importing rice for its public institutions.
Thanks to the establishment of a specialized agricultural unit within the military, national rice imports have fallen to $160 million. The RSLAF also plans to cultivate an additional 500 hectares for the upcoming season.
The President also applauded the progress in female representation within the armed forces, which has risen from single digits at the start of his mandate to 14.7% today.
He called for maintaining this momentum to reach the statutory quota of 30%. Additionally, over 1,000 recruits have recently completed the first phase of their military training as part of a large-scale recruitment program of 3,000 young Sierra Leoneans.
This defense and development policy, by positioning the armed forces as full-fledged actors in national prosperity, illustrates President Bio’s determination to make security and economic progress the two sides of the same coin in his ambition for Sierra Leone.
À propos de l'auteur
