Sierra Leone’s Leone Ranked Second Weakest Currency in Africa

September 29, 2025

The Sierra Leonean Leone has been ranked as the second weakest currency in Africa for September 2025, reflecting the ongoing struggles in the nation’s economy despite recent progress in controlling inflation.

According to the latest figures, the Leone trades at 20,970 to the US dollar, making it only stronger than the São Tomé & Príncipe Dobra, which leads the list of weakest African currencies. Other currencies close to the bottom include the Guinean Franc, Ugandan Shilling, and Burundian Franc.

On the opposite end, the Tunisian Dinar, Libyan Dinar, Moroccan Dirham, Ghanaian Cedi, and Botswanan Pula ranked among the continent’s strongest currencies.

While the ranking highlights Sierra Leone’s fragile currency position, there have been signs of improvement on the inflation front. The country’s inflation rate dropped to 7.10% in June 2025, down from 13.8% at the end of 2024. A Consumer Price Index report also recorded a rare instance of deflation, with consumer prices falling slightly in June.

In response, the Bank of Sierra Leone lowered key policy rates in July, including cutting its Monetary Policy Rate to 21.75%, in a bid to ease inflationary pressures and stimulate economic growth.

Despite these positive steps, the weak performance of the Leone underscores the broader challenges facing Sierra Leone’s economy, especially in global currency markets where demand, supply, and confidence continue to shape outcomes.