SWIFT/BIC codes in Sierra Leone

Finding a SWIFT code in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone we have 18 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 17 institutions. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank should receive an international payment.

Search for the bank you need below and click through to see the full list of codes. Below the list you can read how codes from Sierra Leone are built, how to send money to Sierra Leone without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

How SWIFT codes from Sierra Leone are built

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a code from Sierra Leone by the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of Sierra Leone. If the country letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office. In most cases the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

About our data and how to check a code

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from their online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

We collect bank codes from publicly available data and check them from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Before a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Scammers regularly send payment requests carrying changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Sierra Leone

When you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Sierra Leone, send the payer a complete set of details. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your address.

Find the bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details. Some banks may also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, agree who bears the costs.

Paying a bank in Sierra Leone from abroad

Sierra Leone is not part of the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. Payments from abroad usually go through the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for payments from abroad; banks often publish instructions for this. On the way to Sierra Leone, a transfer can pass through correspondent banks.

Which bank in Sierra Leone has the most codes?

Bank of Sierra Leone tops our list of Sierra Leone banks when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Bank of Sierra Leone has BSLESLFAXXX and that code covers most payments.

The number of codes says something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Making a payment to Bank of Sierra Leone? Use BSLESLFAXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

The cheapest way to send money to Sierra Leone

A bank transfer to Sierra Leone can cost more than you think. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before you send money to Sierra Leone, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Transfer times to Sierra Leone

A SWIFT payment to Sierra Leone typically takes one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often start a business day later.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.