The US$25 airport security fee at Freetown

Status in October 2026

A public notice from the Ministry of Internal Affairs dated 3 July 2026 suspended the fee from Monday 6 July 2026 ¹. The notice followed a ministerial directive ¹. It gave three reasons. These were a review of the contract framework, completion of an independent special audit by Audit Service Sierra Leone, and a study of a more integrated way to collect airport charges ¹.

The ministry said the suspension does not end the operating contract ¹. Securiport (SL) Limited continues its background technology work and logs inbound and outbound passenger data, except for holders of diplomatic passports ³. This site found no public result of the special audit as of 24 October 2026.

How the fee started

• 2017: Business Daily reported a new US$40 one-way security fee, collected by airlines at ticket purchase, to pay for security equipment at the main airport ⁴.
• Until 31 August 2022: the government paid Securiport for its services, according to the ministry notice ². The Sierra Leone Telegraph reported the contracted rate was US$40 per passenger ⁵.
• 1 September 2022: passengers began paying US$25 each, after the government renegotiated the fee and cited the world economic crisis ².
• October 2023: travellers interviewed by Dubawa said they paid the US$25 fee ⁶.
• 6 July 2026: the fee was suspended ¹.

How passengers paid before the suspension

The 2022 notice said passengers pay when they buy their air ticket ². Payment was possible through Orange Money, Afrimoney or online at securipass.sl ². Passengers without internet or a mobile phone could pay over the counter at Ecobank, UBA or Sierra Leone Commercial Bank ². The notice said the money pays for border control technology and for safety, installations and equipment at the airport ².

Reactions to the suspension

The Civil Society Consortium on Internal Security asked the government to reconsider ⁷. Its executive director, Hawa Koroma, cited national security, public health and operations at the main point of entry ⁷. She described Securiport's work on biometric checks, health screening and the e-visa system ⁷. The consortium said most citizens it interviewed want the suspension lifted ⁷. The statements are those of the consortium and were reported on 9 July 2026 ⁷.

Conflicting information

The US Department of State page, viewed on 24 October 2026, still says all inbound and outbound passengers pay US$25 before travel ⁸. That page carries no update date ⁸. The ministry notice reported on 6 July 2026 is the later dated source ¹.