Parliament Passes the National Security & Central Intelligence Bill
The Parliament of Sierra Leone has on Tuesday 28th April, 2026 after an extensive debate passed into law with some amendments the Bill entitled: “The National Security and Central Intelligence Act of 2025”, in order to enhance the security architecture of Sierra Leone.
The Bill is seeking to repeal and replace the National Security and Central Intelligence Act 2023 (Act No.2 of 2023) and to provide for other related matters. The Bill was piloted by the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh.
In his closing statement, Chief Minister Dr. Moinina Sengeh thanked the House for the depth, candour, and rigor of the debate, noting that the process has not been rushed- the National Security and Central Intelligence Bill was gazetted over 3 months ago and it has gone through several Committee sittings.
“This is the beautiful democracy we promised our people, where the wisdom of our Paramount Chiefs, the vigilance of civil society, the submissions of opposition members and citizens, and the rigor of this Parliament converge to do the right thing for our country,” the Chief Minister stated.
According to the Chief Minister, the parent Act served them well, but a modern state cannot fight tomorrow’s threats with yesterday’s tools, adding that the Act is not merely a legal instrument, it is a forward-looking framework for a safer, more stable, and more resilient Sierra Leone.
He said by strengthening coordination, improving intelligence oversight, and modernising the security architecture, the Bill positions the nation to anticipate and manage emerging threats—whether they arise from terrorism, organised crime, cyber risks, or regional instability.
“It ensures that our security institutions operate with professionalism, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. With the creation of the Special Protection Services, we are following global best practices to ensure that the guardians of our democracy are given mandatory protection including President and the Vice President to the Speaker, the Chief Justice, former presidents and former vice presidents,” he said.
The Chief Minister regarded security as the foundation upon which development stands and without it, progress is fragile.
“With it, opportunity expands for businesses, for communities, and for future generations. This Act therefore represents an investment not only in national protection, but in national prosperity,” he said.
He said the long-term implications of this Bill are clear: a secure environment that inspires investor confidence, protects the line of succession in governance, safeguards critical infrastructure, and enables sustainable economic growth.
“I must recognize the invaluable leadership and technical expertise of the Office of National Security (ONS), the Sierra Leone Police, and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I now Move that the Bill be read the Third Time and passed into Law,” the Chief Minister concluded.
Presenting the Report of the Legislative Committee to the Plenary, the Chairman of the aforesaid Committee, Hon. Abdul Sulaiman Marray-Conteh told Members of Parliament that the Bill went through a careful and a thoughtful scrutiny process. According to him, during the vetting of the Bill, security experts were in attendance and also made their inputs, and added that collectively, they examined the Bill line by line, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, and clause by clause, amongst others to strengthen the said Bill.
