Sierra Leone Gazettes Two New Districts and Several Local Councils

Sierra Leone has formally gazetted two new districts alongside several local councils, chiefdoms and villages in a broad adjustment to the country’s local administrative structure.

The changes appear in an Extraordinary issue of The Sierra Leone Gazette, Volume CLXVII, No. 77, dated September 16, 2026. The issue was published by the Government Printing Department under Government Notice Nos. 246–277.

New districts and councils

Bandajuma District was established through Statutory Instrument No. 7, while Kpanguima District was created under Statutory Instrument No. 18. Their establishment increases Sierra Leone’s number of districts from 16 to 18.

The corresponding district councils were also formally established. Bandajuma District Council is covered by Statutory Instrument No. 14, and Kpanguima District Council by Statutory Instrument No. 17.

The Gazette also provides for Freetown City Council under Statutory Instrument No. 13 and Freetown West City Council under Statutory Instrument No. 15.

Mountain Rural Council, Waterloo Rural Council and York Rural Council were established under Statutory Instrument Nos. 26, 31 and 33, respectively. Lungi City Council was established under Statutory Instrument No. 19.

Freetown City Council, Freetown West City Council, Mountain Rural Council, Waterloo Rural Council and York Rural Council are identified as councils established in the Western Area.

Chiefdoms and villages

The statutory instruments formally establish 14 chiefdoms: Barawa, Biriwa Limba, Biriwa, Bongre, Kamadugu, Lunia, Mabala Village Chiefdom, Magbaimba, Mapaki, Masabong, N’dohahun, Peje, Vanjelu and Yiraia.

Establishment orders were also issued for Bankor Village, Black Johnson Village, During Village, Majei Village and Tree Planting Village.

The instruments identify During Village and Majei Village as the former During Town Village and Majei Town Village, respectively.

Formal legal framework

The gazetting places the administrative changes within a formal statutory framework and moves earlier government proposals into legal effect. The arrangement restructures areas previously administered under the Western Area Rural District Council framework.

The Local Government Act 2022 provides the legal basis for declaring an area a locality, assigning it a name and establishing a council through a statutory instrument, subject to the required recommendations.

The legal establishment of the districts, councils, chiefdoms and villages does not by itself complete their administration. Operational structures, staffing, financing and other arrangements will require further implementation measures.

The Gazette uses the spelling “Kpanguima.” Earlier government discussions had used variants including “Kpanguma,” but the available information does not establish whether the difference represents a formal correction or a change in naming.