Freetown, Sierra Leone — 7 October 2026. The Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance and Economic Justice (NaRGEJ) coalition and with support from Development and Peace (Caritas Canada), has called for stronger transparency, accountability, and public participation in the management of subnational mining revenue transfers. The call follows the presentation of NMJD’s 2024 Social Audit Report, which highlights persistent governance gaps and community concerns across Sierra Leone’s mining districts.
The press briefing, held at the VANILLA Complex in Aberdeen, brought together civil society and media practitioners to discuss the audit’s findings and the urgent need for reforms that ensure mining-affected communities benefit fairly from the extraction of their natural resources.
Read Press Release below
Understanding the Context: Mining, Rights, and Community Development
Sierra Leone’s mining sector has played a central role in national development since the 1930s. Yet, as NMJD’s press statement notes, mining has also contributed to “human rights abuses, growing human insecurity, environmental degradation, water and air pollution in host mining communities.” Despite recent improvements in the legal and regulatory framework including the Mines and Minerals Development Act (2023) significant gaps remain in how mining revenues are managed and delivered at the community level.
As Sierra Leone prepares for increased extraction of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), NMJD and its partners stress that the country must not repeat historical patterns of exclusion and mismanagement. Ensuring transparent revenue distribution, community participation, and strong oversight is essential to preventing future resource injustice.
What the Social Audit Examined
The 2024 Social Audit assessed subnational revenue transfers from mining companies to Community Development Committee (CDC) accounts between 2017 and 2023. The audit covered five chiefdoms across four districts:
- Tankoro & Gbense Chiefdoms – Kono District
- Nimikoro Chiefdom – Kono District
- Lower Bambara Chiefdom – Kenema District
- Lower Banta Chiefdom – Moyamba District
- Imperi Chiefdom – Bonthe District
Mining companies reviewed included:
- Koidu Limited
- Sierra Diamonds
- Gold Lion Mining Company (formerly Wongor Investment)
- Sierra Mineral Holdings (formerly Vimetco)
- Sierra Rutile Limited
The audit engaged community members directly to verify whether revenues transferred for development were properly managed, transparently accounted for, and translated into tangible benefits.
Read the Social Audits Report below