# List of heads of state of Sierra Leone

This is a list of the heads of state of Sierra Leone, from the independence of the Sierra Leone in 1961 to the present day.
From 1961 to 1971 the head of state under the Constitution of 1961 was the Queen of Sierra Leone Elizabeth II, who was also the Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Sierra Leone by a governor-general. Sierra Leone became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1971 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by a ceremonial president, a year later it became an executive presidency.

## Monarch (1961–1971)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign | Reign | Reign | Royal House | Prime minister(s) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign start | Reign end | Duration | Royal House | Prime minister(s) |
| 1 | | Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) | 27 April 1961 | 19 April 1971 | 9 years, 357 days | Windsor | M. Margai A. Margai Stevens |

### Governor-general

The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Sierra Leone and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Sierra Leone was granted independence by the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous dominion and later promoted to independence as defined by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Sierra Leone without the involvement of the British government, with the sole exception of Maurice Henry Dorman, the former colonial governor, who served as governor-general temporarily until he was replaced by Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice would have served as the officer administering the government.

#### Status

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Monarch | Prime minister(s) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Monarch | Prime minister(s) |
| 1 | | Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (1912–1993) | 27 April 1961 | 5 May 1962 | 1 year, 8 days | Elizabeth II | M. Margai |
| 2 | | Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston (1898–1969) | 5 May 1962 | 11 July 1962 | 4 years, 322 days | Elizabeth II | M. Margai Margai Stevens |
| 2 | | Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston (1898–1969) | 11 July 1962 | 23 March 1967 (Deposed in a coup) | 4 years, 322 days | Elizabeth II | M. Margai Margai Stevens |
| 3 | | Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917–2000) | 22 March 1968 | 29 September 1970 | 3 years, 9 days | Elizabeth II | Stevens |
| 3 | | Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917–2000) | 29 September 1970 | 31 March 1971 | 3 years, 9 days | Elizabeth II | Stevens |
| — | | Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990) | 31 March 1971 | 19 April 1971 | 19 days | Elizabeth II | Stevens |

### Military rule (1967–1968)

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| | | Brigadier David Lansana (1922–1975) | 23 March 1967 | 25 March 1967 | 2 days | Military |
| | | Commissioner Leslie William Leigh (1921–1980) Chairman of the NRC | 25 March 1967 | 28 March 1967 | 3 days | Military |
| | | Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith (1931–1996) Chairman of the NRC | 28 March 1967 | 18 April 1968 (Deposed in a coup) | 1 year, 21 days | Military |
| | | Brigadier John Amadu Bangura (1930–1970) Chairman of the NIC | 18 April 1968 | 22 April 1968 | 4 days | Military |

## Republic (1971–present)
### First Republic (1971–1992)

Under the Constitution of 1971, the first constitution of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the president replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state; a year later the presidency became an executive head of state, The president was elected by Parliament for a four-year term. The 1978 Constitution proclaimed Sierra Leone as a one-party state, the president was elected for a seven-year term and can only serve two terms, then in 1991 a new Constitution was made to end the status as a one-party state, the president now serves a five-year term and can only serve two terms. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Prime minister(s) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | Prime minister(s) |
| — | | Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990) | — | 19 April 1971 | 21 April 1971 | 2 days | Independent | Stevens |
| 1 | | Siaka Stevens (1905–1988) | — | 21 April 1971 | 28 November 1985 (Retired) | 14 years, 221 days | APC | Koroma Kamara-Taylor |
| 2 | | Joseph Saidu Momoh (1937–2003) | 1985 | 28 November 1985 | 29 April 1992 (Deposed in a coup) | 6 years, 153 days | APC | Position abolished |

### Military rule (1992–1996)

Valentine Strasser led a coup d'état which overthrew President Momoh and his government, again dissolving all political parties and the Parliament.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| 3 | | Captain Yahya Kanu (died 1992) Chairman of the NPDC | 29 April 1992 | 1 May 1992 | 2 days | Military |
| 4 | | Captain Valentine Strasser (born 1967) Chairman of the NPRC | 1 May 1992 | 16 January 1996 (Deposed in a coup) | 3 years, 260 days | Military |
| 4 | | Chairman of the SCS from 6 May 1996 | 1 May 1992 | 16 January 1996 (Deposed in a coup) | 3 years, 260 days | Military |
| 5 | | Brigadier Julius Maada Bio (born 1964) Chairman of the SCS | 16 January 1996 | 29 March 1996 | 73 days | Military |

### Second Republic (1996–1997)

When the civilian government was restored so was the Constitution of 1991 and in the 1996 elections the SLPP won the election for most seats in Parliament and the presidential election. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| 6 | | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) | 1996 | 29 March 1996 | 25 May 1997 (Deposed in a coup) | 1 year, 57 days | SLPP |

### Military rule (1997–1998)

Major Johnny Koroma led a coup d'état which overthrew President Kabbah and his government, dissolving all political parties and the Parliament.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| 7 | | Major Johnny Paul Koroma (1960–2003) Chairman of the AFRC | 25 May 1997 | 12 February 1998 (Deposed by ECOWAS) | 263 days | Military |

### Third Republic (1998–present)

The civilian government was restored, as was the Constitution of 1991 and the members of Parliament and the president. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| (6) | | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) | 2002 | 13 February 1998 | 17 September 2007 | 9 years, 216 days | SLPP |
| 8 | | Ernest Bai Koroma (born 1953) | 2007 2012 | 17 September 2007 | 4 April 2018 | 10 years, 199 days | APC |
| (5) | | Julius Maada Bio (born 1964) | 2018 2023 | 4 April 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 347 days | SLPP |

## Standards

* Royal standard
* Governor-General's standard
* Presidential standard