The regulator's floor price for data
The National Communications Authority's tariff page says that in November 2023 the tariffs for voice and data were adjusted, with a floor price for voice calls of Le 1.63, a ceiling of Le 1.86 and a floor price for data of Le 20 per 1 GB. It publishes a comparison table of the mobile network operators and Starlink, and notes that rates are indicative and subject to the authority's approval under the 2022 Act.
That floor is a quick sanity check when you compare bundles: at the time of checking, Africell's 1 GB monthly bundle was NLe 20, in line with the floor. Africell labels its prices NLe, while Orange labels its own SLL, so check the currency and the final price in shop before you pay.
Africell's bundles, from a day to 90 days
Africell's data bundle page lists prices in new leones. At the time of checking, daily bundles ran from NLe 0.40 for 15 MB to NLe 5.20 for 260 MB, weekly bundles were NLe 2 for 100 MB, NLe 10 for 500 MB and NLe 40 for 2 GB, and monthly bundles ran from NLe 20 for 1 GB to NLe 120 for 6 GB, NLe 300 for 15 GB and NLe 600 for 30 GB. A long-validity bundle gave 40 GB for NLe 800 over 90 days, and a TikTok bundle gave 300 MB for NLe 1 for 24 hours.
The page tells you to find an Africell shop to buy a SIM and gives 111 as the support line, but it does not say what a visitor must show to register. Its eSIM page explains how to scan a QR code on iPhone and Android and says a dual-SIM phone can use an eSIM with a physical SIM, but it mentions an eSIM trial in its replacement answer, so we do not claim a general eSIM sale to visitors.
Orange's bundles, and a currency label to check
Orange Sierra Leone's pages list bundles without commitment. Daily bundles ran from 15 MB for 0.40 to 250 MB for 4.50, weekly bundles were 100 MB for 2, 500 MB for 8 and 1 GB for 15, and monthly bundles were 2.5 GB for 37.50, 6.5 GB for 100, 10 GB for 150 and 20 GB for 300. The pages label the currency SLL, the code for the old leone, even though the amounts look like new-leone prices, and they say both that prices include all taxes and that they are displayed exclusive of taxes, so confirm the final amount in shop or through *888#.
Orange's coverage page says it is the only mobile operator present in almost every village, town or city, which is a marketing claim, and its 4G page says 4G needs a compatible phone and a 4G SIM, with 3G and 2G as fallbacks where 4G is not available. A SIM bought before 2014 may need an upgrade, which it says is free.
5G in Freetown, and an unreliable network elsewhere
Africell says its 5G rollout has started, that it is live with sites in Freetown, with more coverage areas added weekly and most of its city sites upgraded to 5G over the next two years. That is the operator's own statement and the page gives no site list, so a 5G phone should not count on 5G outside the capital.
The UK Foreign Office is more cautious, saying the mobile network is unreliable, particularly in remote areas, and that the emergency response is unreliable too. If you plan to travel outside the Freetown peninsula, download maps and tell your host the route. It also notes that the British High Commission's staff avoid road travel outside the peninsula at night.
Visa, e-visa and the health travel portal
The UK Foreign Office says you must have a visa to enter Sierra Leone, either on arrival for 80 US dollars paid in cash in US dollars or in advance through an e-visa. Single-entry visas are valid for 90 days from issue for visits of up to 30 days, and multiple-entry visas for 365 days with up to 30 days per visit. It adds that a yellow fever certificate is needed for entry.
It also says all travellers entering or leaving must complete a health declaration on the Sierra Leone Health Travel Portal within 72 hours before travel. Bring US dollars in cash for the visa, and keep the declaration on your phone and printed. Rules differ by nationality.
Emergency number, photography and police reports
The UK Foreign Office gives 117 for ambulance, fire and police in Sierra Leone. It advises carrying ID such as a passport or a copy of the photo page and visa stamp, says not to photograph military installations or official buildings including prisons and courthouses, and notes that police charge foreign nationals a fee for reports, to be paid at the Bank of Sierra Leone and not to officers directly. Our Sierra Leone plan page covers data before you arrive.
Networks our Sierra Leone plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Sierra Leone, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- Africell4G
- Airtel Sierra Leone (former: Zain / Celtel Ltd.)4G
- Orange4G
- Zain4G