On 12th November 2025 Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) hosted a high-level presentation on the Employment and Remuneration Matrix (ERM) at its head office at King Street in Freetown.
The event brought together representatives from key institutions, including the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Wages and Compensation Commission (WCC), Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL), National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), and the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
In his opening remarks, Bai Mohamed Bangura, Labour Statistician and ERM Coordinator, welcomed participants and emphasized the ERM’s importance in understanding employment structures, improving data accuracy, and enhancing national GDP compilation. He highlighted challenges in data collection but reaffirmed Stats SL’s commitment to maintaining data integrity through rigorous statistical methods.
In his keynote address, Andrew Bob Johnny, Statistician General and CEO of Statistics Sierra Leone, underscored the significance of employment and remuneration data in shaping labour market policy, promoting inclusive growth, and reducing wage inequality. He encouraged collaboration among stakeholders to identify data gaps and strengthen coordination, emphasizing that the ERM serves as a vital tool for GDP estimation and the monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Chairperson Isata Allieu-Keikura, Head of CPI and Labour Statistics, called for improved responsiveness from MDAs, noting that delays in data submission hinder timely publication. She urged timely cooperation from all partners to sustain the progress achieved in the ERM project.
Maira Caño-Guiral, IMF Consultant and National Accounts Expert, presented the ERM findings, noting that it is a critical component of Sierra Leone’s GDP rebasing framework. The ERM provides gender-disaggregated data and distinguishes between the Observed Economy (OE) and Non-Observed Economy (NOE) — making Sierra Leone one of the few countries with such detailed datasets.
Key findings included: Non-Observed Economy (NOE) ahich accounts for 95.1% of total jobs and contributes 78.8% to GDP; Observed Economy (OE) which represents 4.9% of jobs and contributes 21.2% to GDP; Gender Distribution (NOE): Females hold 49.7% of jobs (34% GDP contribution), while males hold 45.4% (44.8% GDP contribution).
These findings were derived from multiple sources, including the Integrated Household Survey, Annual Economic Survey of Enterprises, and administrative records, forming a solid foundation for future economic analysis in Sierra Leone.
Ishmael Kanu (NASSIT) commended the initiative, noting its potential to integrate informal sector workers into formal systems and improve the comprehensiveness of labour statistics.
Saidu Swaray (Bank of Sierra Leone) highlighted the ERM’s value in understanding the underground economy, emphasizing that reliable data from Stats SL informs monetary and fiscal policy decisions.
The Employment and Remuneration Matrix (ERM) is designed to strengthen consistency between production, labour input, and income—ensuring that employment statistics align with national accounts. This initiative enhances the credibility of GDP estimates and provides a robust foundation for evidence-based policy formulation and inclusive economic planning in Sierra Leone.
©Stats SL Comms. & PR Unit.
