Digital Payment Adoption Statistics in Sierra Leone (2026)
36.7% of adults in Sierra Leone made or received a digital payment in 2024, World Bank Global Findex data show. Up from 27% in 2021 to 36.7% in 2024 (+9.7 percentage points). Sierra Leone ranks #27 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #113 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 36.7% (2024)
- Digital Payment Adoption in Sierra Leone as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2021
- +9.7 pp (2024)
- Up from 27% in 2021 to 36.7% in 2024 (+9.7 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2014)
- 13% (2014)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 13% in 2014 to 36.7% in 2024.
- Record high (2024)
- 36.7% (2024)
- The 2024 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Sierra Leone.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa
- #27 of 36 (2024)
- Sierra Leone ranks 27 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #113 of 142 (2024)
- Sierra Leone ranks 113 of 142 countries with data globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 49.2% (2024)
- Sierra Leone (36.7%) is below the average of 49.2% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Among women (2024)
- 34% (2024)
- Value for women in Sierra Leone, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
- Among men (2024)
- 39.6% (2024)
- Value for men in Sierra Leone, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
- Gender gap (women minus men)
- −5.6 pp (2024)
- In 2024, the figure was 34% for women and 39.6% for men — 5.6 percentage points lower among women.
- In rural areas (2024)
- 28.9% (2024)
- Value for rural residents of Sierra Leone in 2024.
- Rural gap vs national
- −7.9 pp (2024)
- Rural residents (28.9%) are 7.9 percentage points below the national figure (36.7%).
- Among the poorest 40% (2024)
- 25.3% (2024)
- Value for adults in the poorest 40% of households in Sierra Leone in 2024.
- Poorest-40% gap vs national
- −11.5 pp (2024)
- The poorest 40% (25.3%) are 11.5 percentage points below the national figure (36.7%).
- Made a digital payment (% age 15+) (2024)
- 32.6% (2024)
- Related indicator from World Bank Global Findex.
- Received digital payments (% age 15+) (2024)
- 24.8% (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 | 36.7% | +9.7 pp |
| 2021 | 27% | +11.4 pp |
| 2017 | 15.6% | +2.6 pp |
| 2014 | 13% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Sierra Leone made or received a digital payment?
36.7% of adults in Sierra Leone made or received a digital payment in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
How has digital payment adoption in Sierra Leone changed over time?
World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 13% in 2014 to 36.7% in 2024.
How does Sierra Leone compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sierra Leone ranks 27 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, with 36.7% versus a regional average of 49.2% (latest values per country).
Where does Sierra Leone rank globally on digital payment adoption?
Sierra Leone ranks 113 of 142 countries with data globally, based on the latest World Bank Global Findex value for each country.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
g20.any, 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 .