Credit Card Usage Statistics in Sierra Leone (2026)
0.3% of adults in Sierra Leone used a credit card in 2024, World Bank Global Findex data show. Up from 0.1% in 2021 to 0.3% in 2024 (+0.2 percentage points). Sierra Leone ranks #32 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #135 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 0.3% (2024)
- Credit Card Usage in Sierra Leone as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2021
- +0.2 pp (2024)
- Up from 0.1% in 2021 to 0.3% in 2024 (+0.2 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2014)
- 0.5% (2014)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Down from 0.5% in 2014 to 0.3% in 2024.
- Peak value (2017)
- 0.9% (2017)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2024 value is 0.3%.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa
- #32 of 36 (2024)
- Sierra Leone ranks 32 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #135 of 142 (2024)
- Sierra Leone ranks 135 of 142 countries with data globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 2.2% (2024)
- Sierra Leone (0.3%) is below the average of 2.2% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Owns a credit card (% age 15+) (2024)
- 1.1% (2024)
- Related indicator from World Bank Global Findex.
- Internet use in Sierra Leone (2024)
- 25.1% (2024)
- 25.1% of the population in Sierra Leone used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 8.6 million (2024)
- Sierra Leone had a population of 8.6 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2014–2024
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 0.1% | −0.8 pp |
| 2017 | 0.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 0.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Sierra Leone used a credit card?
0.3% of adults in Sierra Leone used a credit card in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
How recent is the credit card usage data for Sierra Leone?
The most recent observation is from 2024. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2024 is the latest available year for Sierra Leone.
Where does the credit card usage data for Sierra Leone come from?
The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin22g). The latest observation for Sierra Leone is from 2024; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.
How has credit card usage in Sierra Leone changed over time?
World Bank Global Findex data show a decline from 0.5% in 2014 to 0.3% in 2024.
How does Sierra Leone compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sierra Leone ranks 32 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, with 0.3% versus a regional average of 2.2% (latest values per country).
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin22g, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .