Investigation Reveals Airport Fee Suspension May Trigger Costly Contract Dispute and Renew Focus on

The decision to temporarily suspend the collection of the US$25 Airport Security Fee at Freetown International Airport has triggered serious concerns over the country’s contractual obligations to Securiport (SL) Limited, with fears that the move could expose the Government to another substantial financial liability running into millions of United States dollars.

In a ministerial directive dated 1st July 2026, the Ministry of Internal Affairs instructed Securiport to suspend the collection of the Airport Security Fee from 6th July 2026 until December 2026 while the Government undertakes a comprehensive review of the contract and conducts a special audit. The Ministry argued that the existing manual cash collection system is cumbersome, inconvenient for passengers and inconsistent with modern airport operations.

However, documents relating to the original agreement and subsequent amendments raise significant legal and financial questions regarding the suspension.