Makeni Population 2026

Makeni has a population of 85,116, making it the #5 biggest city in 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, located in Northern Province. Roughly 0.9% of Sierra Leone's population lives here. It is about 9.4× smaller than Freetown, the country's biggest city.

Location of Makeni (capital Freetown shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

85,116

Rank in Sierra Leone

Coordinates

8.89°N, 12.04°W

~93 m elevation · Africa/Freetown

Distance to capital (Freetown)

138 km

86 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Northern Province

City	Population	Rank in Sierra Leone
Lunsar	22,461	#9
Kabala	17,948	#10
Mile 91	15,491	#13

Cities near Makeni

Mile 9115,491 people · ~50 km away
Lunsar22,461 people · ~58 km away
Njala40,000 people · ~73 km away
Port Loko44,900 people · ~83 km away
Kabala17,948 people · ~95 km away
Bo233,684 people · ~108 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Makeni?

Makeni has a population of 85,116 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #5 biggest city in Sierra Leone.

What region is Makeni in?

Makeni is located in Northern Province, Sierra Leone.

Is Makeni the capital of Sierra Leone?

No, the capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown, about 138 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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