Sierra Leone will be represented at Miss Universe 2026 in Puerto Rico, United States by Katti Fofanah. It is the 75th edition of the international beauty pageant currently based in Samut Prakan, Thailand and New York City, New York, USA.
This is not the first time Fofanah is representing Sierra Leone in an international competition. She was the country’s representative to the second edition of Top Model of Universe.
Fofanah is a fashion model from Bonthe, Southern Province, Sierra Leone. She is currently studying procurement, logistics, and supply chain management at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) of the University of Sierra Leone and earning a certificate in fashion design from Blue Crest College. Both schools are in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Top Model of Universe 2023
On November 5, 2023, Fofanah represented Sierra Leone in the female category of Top Model of Universe 2023 in Istanbul, Turkiye. She competed against 19 other models including Best Tugce Viran of Türkiye, who emerged as the winner.
Runner-up to Viran was Mariam Mirianashvili of Georgia. The second runner-up was Fofanah.
Joseph Ejalloh of Sierra Leone won the male category and the first and second runners-up were Ali Sarıkaya of North Cyprus and John Wayne Alba of the Philippines, respectively. On September 26, 2026, Alba will represent the Philippines at Mister International 2026 and compete against more than 40 other candidates at the MCC Hall of The Mall Lifestore Bangkapi in Khlong Chan, Bang Kapi, Bangkok, Thailand.
Miss Universe 2026
On June 26, 2026, Fofanah represented Bonthe at Miss Universe Sierra Leone 2026 and competed against 11 other candidates at the Bintumani Auditorium in Aberdeen, Freetown. She won the title.
In November 2026, Fofanah will represent Sierra Leone at Miss Universe 2026 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She will compete against more than 120 other candidates including Wanderleia Rodrigues, 23, of Angola, Dabilo Moses, 26, of Botswana, Audrey Black, 30, of Cameroon, Sarrah Brahmi, 33, of Tunisia, Mubanga Hatyoka, 24, of Zambia and Roseanna Hall, 34, of Zimbabwe.
This makes Fofanah the third woman to represent Sierra Leone in Miss Universe. Representing the country, both Hawa Kamara and Marie Esther Bangura were unplaced in the competition in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
From Bonthe to Puerto Rico
Bonthe and Puerto Rico offer a compelling contrast in scale, historical trajectory, and economic structure, while sharing deep ties to maritime geography and colonial heritage. Geographically, both are defined by their coastlines. Bonthe is a quiet municipality primarily situated on Sherbro Island in the Atlantic waters of southern Sierra Leone. Puerto Rico, a sprawling Caribbean archipelago between the Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, operates on a vastly larger physical and demographic scale, housing over 3 million residents compared to Bonthe’s population of roughly 10,000.
Their histories are deeply anchored in European colonialism. Bonthe retains historic British architecture from its 19th-century peak as a crucial trading port and a strategic base for anti-slavery patrols. Puerto Rico reflects centuries of Spanish rule, visible in the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, blended with its modern identity as a United States territory.
Economically, they diverge significantly. Bonthe relies heavily on local artisanal fishing and small-scale agriculture. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico stands as a highly developed, high-income jurisdiction. Driven by robust manufacturing, global pharmaceutical exports, and a thriving tourism industry, Puerto Rico represents an industrialized Caribbean hub, starkly contrasting with the serene, rural pace of life on Sherbro Island.
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