Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans was 546.77 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
546.77 million
Change on year
up 5.7%
World rank
56th
of 178 countries
All-time high
967.18 million
in 2015
All-time low
23.93 million
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024

Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone, 1960–2024

0200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M1.0B196019922024

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone is 546.77 million, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and down 36.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone peaked at 967.18 million in 2015 and was at its lowest, 23.93 million, in 1960.

That places Sierra Leone 56th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone, year by year

Annual values for Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone, 1960 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1960 23.93 million —
1961 121.76 million +408.8%
1962 55.32 million -54.6%
1963 44.42 million -19.7%
1964 41.09 million -7.5%
1965 41.16 million +0.2%
1966 53.12 million +29.0%
1967 52.21 million -1.7%
1968 55.07 million +5.5%
1969 49.39 million -10.3%
1970 44.42 million -10.1%
1971 47.06 million +5.9%
1972 38.53 million -18.1%
1973 38.02 million -1.3%
1974 35.73 million -6.0%
1975 40.79 million +14.2%
1976 45.19 million +10.8%
1977 67.74 million +49.9%
1978 64.00 million -5.5%
1979 100.67 million +57.3%
1980 120.21 million +19.4%
1981 113.80 million -5.3%
1982 103.10 million -9.4%
1983 121.08 million +17.4%
1984 128.85 million +6.4%
1985 306.01 million +137.5%
1986 151.51 million -50.5%
1987 111.69 million -26.3%
1988 165.84 million +48.5%
1989 149.71 million -9.7%
1990 91.06 million -39.2%
1991 94.25 million +3.5%
1992 107.33 million +13.9%
1993 291.11 million +171.2%
1994 145.67 million -50.0%
1995 157.84 million +8.4%
1996 140.72 million -10.8%
1997 126.35 million -10.2%
1998 132.18 million +4.6%
1999 127.59 million -3.5%
2000 231.78 million +81.7%
2001 404.93 million +74.7%
2002 505.43 million +24.8%
2003 494.55 million -2.2%
2004 431.90 million -12.7%
2005 374.38 million -13.3%
2006 863.65 million +130.7%
2007 616.66 million -28.6%
2008 330.95 million -46.3%
2009 418.67 million +26.5%
2010 372.62 million -11.0%
2011 365.57 million -1.9%
2012 409.86 million +12.1%
2013 467.41 million +14.0%
2014 857.38 million +83.4%
2015 967.18 million +12.8%
2016 727.57 million -24.8%
2017 552.22 million -24.1%
2018 500.58 million -9.4%
2019 547.44 million +9.4%
2020 707.94 million +29.3%
2021 597.17 million -15.6%
2022 545.23 million -8.7%
2023 517.07 million -5.2%
2024 546.77 million +5.7%

Sierra Leone compared with similar countries

  • Sierra Leone's 546.77 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.16 billion, 47% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Sierra Leone's 546.77 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 681.01 million, 80% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1961 +408.8% 23.93 million 121.76 million
1993 +171.2% 107.33 million 291.11 million
1985 +137.5% 128.85 million 306.01 million
2006 +130.7% 374.38 million 863.65 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 53.75 million 23.93 million 121.76 million 10
1970s 52.22 million 35.73 million 100.67 million 10
1980s 147.18 million 103.10 million 306.01 million 10
1990s 141.41 million 91.06 million 291.11 million 10
2000s 467.29 million 231.78 million 863.65 million 10
2010s 576.79 million 365.57 million 967.18 million 10
2020s 582.84 million 517.07 million 707.94 million 5

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 53 Mayotte 571.96 million compare
  2. 54 Central African Republic 569.51 million compare
  3. 55 Papua New Guinea 551.23 million compare
  4. 57 French Polynesia 546.39 million compare
  5. 58 Cambodia 545.63 million compare
  6. 59 China 521.27 million compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone?
Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone was 546.77 million in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans recorded in Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 967.18 million in 2015.
What is the lowest foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 23.93 million in 1960.
How does Sierra Leone rank for foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans?
Sierra Leone ranks 56th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is down 36.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans in Sierra Leone. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-aid-received-as-grants-and-concessional-loans/sierra-leone/

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About this data

Indicator
Foreign aid received as grants and concessional loans
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 9,817 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed