Chiefdoms constitute the third and most local administrative level in Sierra Leone's governance structure, with 208 chiefdoms distributed across the country's districts. Each chiefdom is traditionally led by a paramount chief, who is elected by a council of ruling house representatives and holds significant authority over local affairs. Chiefdoms handle land administration, dispute resolution through customary law, tax collection, and coordination of local development projects. They serve as the primary interface between national government programs and rural communities, implementing policies related to public health, education, and agricultural extension services. While chiefdoms maintain traditional governance structures that predate colonial rule, they operate within Sierra Leone's constitutional framework and work alongside elected local councils established in recent decades to provide services at the grassroots level.