Religion in Sierra Leone

Islam is the largest religious community in Sierra Leone, while Christianity is the second largest. The 2015 census recorded Baha'i at 0.5%, African Traditional Religion at 0.1%, Other at 0.7% and No Religion at 0.3%. Religious distribution varies by area: Muslims made up 85.1% in the Northern region, while the Western Area recorded 69.1% Muslim and 30.1% Christian, and the Eastern region recorded 69.4% Muslim and 29.0% Christian. Christianity accounted for 19.2% in the Southern region and 43.5% in Kono, while Pujehun recorded 94.6% Muslim. These differences affect access to congregations, holiday rhythms and community structures. Sierra Leone's constitution does not establish a state religion. Section 24 of the 1991 Constitution protects freedom of conscience, thought, religion and belief, including changing religion, worshipping publicly or privately, teaching, practising and observing religious commitments. A religious community may provide its own religious instruction, and no person can be forced to take an oath belonging to another religion. Restrictions can apply for defence, public safety, public order, morality, health and the rights of other people. Section 15 protects people against discrimination based on creed. The Employment Act 2023 also prohibits religion, belief and religious dress from being used as grounds for discrimination in employment. Common practice includes worship, prayer, religious teaching, public or private observance and community activities. Muslim observance includes Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Friday prayer. Christian observance includes Christmas, Good Friday and Easter Monday. Official public holidays include Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Islamic dates follow the lunar calendar and receive annual official confirmation, so dates should be checked for the relevant year. Religious observance is not subject to one uniform national duty apart from the legal effect of public holidays. Public schools teach Religious Moral Education from Class 1 through Form 3. Senior secondary schools may teach Living with Religious and Moral Education as an everyday subject within Social and Cultural Studies. The curriculum covers Christianity, Islam, African Traditional Religion, moral values, diversity and tolerance. Religious Moral Education is optional in public high schools under the 2023 freedom-of-religion reporting, and the Constitution does not require anyone to attend another religion's instruction or ceremony. The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education oversees school education. The Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone, known as IRCSL, provides a national bridge for dialogue, especially between Muslim and Christian bodies. The Council of Churches in Sierra Leone has 17 member churches and 10 affiliates. The Supreme Islamic Council and the United Council of Imams represent Muslim interests. The Ministry of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion support coordination, dialogue, reconciliation, alternative dispute resolution and conflict prevention. A 26 March 2026 communiqué by the government and religious leaders called for peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, accountable leadership and rejection of hate speech and extremism. Sierra Leone recognises Christian, Muslim, civil and customary marriage pathways. A religious ceremony alone should not be treated as proof of complete civil registration. The National Civil Registration Authority, or NCRA, handles civil registration procedures that include reporting the intention to marry, identity and National Identification Number checks, background checks and verification of the officiant before issuing a certificate. The NCRA lists a processing cost of SLL 200,000, which should be confirmed before use. For a civil marriage, notice generally runs for 21 days and the Registrar's certificate must be obtained before three months expire. Divorce requires a High Court Decree Absolute and registration with the NCRA. Naming ceremonies, baptism, conversion, circumcision and burial are generally organised by communities or religious groups, with no single national religious register established for them. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024 took effect on 14 December 2024 and sets the minimum age at 18 for every type of marriage, without a parent or guardian exception. Religious and traditional officiants may not arrange or promote a child marriage. A proposed 2026 religious policy remains at the consultation stage and is not a current licensing procedure. The government has described the proposed focus as regulating conduct rather than belief or preaching. Religious institutions and leaders remain the first local point of access for worship, teaching, rites and mediation, while civil registration, school education and national dialogue involve the relevant public bodies.