Sierra Leone: passenger data rules and border system records

Data protection law and oversight

On 7 November 2025 the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) finished the final national validation of the Data Protection and Right to Access Information Bill 2025 ². The ministry said the bill would create a single independent authority for data protection and access to information ².

On 21 April 2026 Minister Chernor Bah announced that Cabinet had approved a National Data Protection Policy ¹. Cabinet authorised a new Data Protection and Right to Access Information Act and repeal of the Right to Access Information Commission Act ¹. The Commission would be expanded into a body with investigative, compliance and enforcement powers over public and private data handling ¹. The ministry said it would work with the Attorney General's office to finalise the bill and table it in Parliament ¹. This page found no record of enactment as of 21 October 2026 ¹.

The airport security fee

As reported by Abdul Rashid Thomas in the Sierra Leone Telegraph on 1 September 2022, the government had paid Securiport a contracted fee of US$40 per passenger ³. From 1 September 2022 the government said it could no longer pay, citing the global economic crisis ³. Passengers began paying US$25 directly to Securiport through the company's web platform ³.

As reported by Timothée Manoke of Ecofin Agency on 7 November 2025, Securiport operates in Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia and Côte d'Ivoire, with security fees from US$20 to US$25 ⁷.

Equipment inspection

On 20 June 2026 the Sierra Leone Immigration Department said its Audit Committee inspected equipment used at Freetown International Airport, Lungi ⁵. The equipment includes enrolment cameras, scanners, monitors and electronic gate booths supplied by Securiport ⁵. The department lists Securiport as a border security service provider among its partners ⁵. The page does not describe how passenger data is stored or who holds it ⁵.

July 2026 suspension and special audit

On 6 July 2026 the Ministry of Internal Affairs suspended the US$25 airport security fee until further notice, as reported by Samuel Obeng Appah of VoyagesAfriq ⁴. The public notice said the contract framework was under review and that the suspension would allow an independent special audit by Audit Service Sierra Leone to be completed ⁴. The ATTA news library, crediting Pan African Visions, reported the same review and audit ⁶.

The notice said the suspension does not end the operating contract ⁴. Securiport (SL) Limited would keep running its background technology operations and keep logging inbound and outbound passenger traffic data, except for holders of diplomatic passports ⁴. The reports carry no company statement from Securiport ^4,6.

This page found no published result of the special audit as of 21 October 2026 ⁴. The contract's signing date, term, value and data-hosting terms were not confirmed in the records opened ^{3,4 5}.

Chronology