Southern Province

Southern Province contains the Baomahun Gold Project in Bo and Tonkolili districts—Sierra Leone's first commercial-scale gold operation, with 5.8 million ounces in resources and expected production of 185,000 ounces annually beginning in 2025. This development represents diversification beyond diamonds and iron ore, adding a third major mineral export stream. The province's agricultural sector benefits from 'Feed Salone' initiative investments targeting food security amid a population that grew to 8.4 million (2024 census). GDP growth projections of 4.3% (2025) and 4.6% (2027) depend on agricultural productivity improvements alongside mining expansion—a dual-track strategy that affects Southern Province particularly. The Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024-2030) prioritizes human capital development and job creation for young people, recognizing that mineral revenues alone cannot absorb the workforce. Manufacturing concentrates in Freetown rather than provincial areas, leaving Southern Province in the classic primary-sector position: extracting resources for processing elsewhere. The gold project's timeline—production expected 2025—creates immediate opportunity, while longer-term development depends on infrastructure, skills, and governance capacity. Southern Province demonstrates the mineral frontier's promise and limits: significant resources, concentrated benefits, and the challenge of translating extraction into broad-based growth.