Lawrence Williams: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 09 July 2026:
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced a temporary suspension of the $25 Airport Security Fee charged at the Freetown International Airport. The suspension takes effect on July 6.
In a public notice issued on Friday, the ministry said the suspension follows a ministerial directive and will remain in place “until further notice.”
The $25 fee, collected from all traveling passengers, has been a source of public debate since its introduction. It said the suspension will pave way for a comprehensive review of the current contract framework and the completion of an ongoing independent special audit by Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL).
According to the notice, the government is using the suspension period to evaluate “a more seamless, integrated collection system that eliminates public inconvenience for traveling passengers.”
Further, the ministry was quick to clarify that the directive does not terminate the operating contract with Securiport (SL) Limited, the company contracted to manage the airport security system.
During the suspension, Securiport will maintain its “core technological background operations” and continue logging standard inbound and outbound passenger traffic data. Diplomatic passport holders remain exempt.
The ministry said it expects “full compliance from all airport authorities to ensure a smooth transition” when the suspension comes into effect on Monday.
The $25 fee was introduced as part of security upgrades at the Freetown International Airport. However, passengers and civil society groups have repeatedly raised concerns about transparency and the mode of collection.
The announcement comes amid broader government reviews of public contracts and fees. The outcome of the ASSL audit is expected to determine the future structure of the fee and its collection.
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