Key government and private‑sector leaders gathered on Friday, 16 January 2026, as Invest Salone, a UK-funded private sector development programme, hosted a high‑level event aimed at deepening collaboration and boosting investment in Sierra Leone’s expanding private sector.
The event showcased Invest Salone’s contribution to improving the business environment and reinforced its role as a partner and facilitator, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address systemic constraints through dialogue and cooperation.
Opening remarks were delivered by the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Ms Josephine Gauld LVO who said:
This event demonstrates how collaboration between government, investors and development partners can unlock investment that creates real jobs and opportunities for Sierra Leoneans. Through catalytic capital, the UK is acting as a long‑term partner and investor, supporting Sierra Leone to realise its vision of an economy built on inclusive growth.
Mohamed Abu Sesay, National Investment Board, delivered the keynote address, underscoring the importance of private sector-led, coalition-driven solutions in achieving sustainable economic development. “This is the start of a new way of doing business in Sierra Leone powered by collaboration and catalytic capital to deliver lasting impact.”
He was followed by a panel discussion which brought together representatives from the government, impact investing, business associations and access-to-finance. Panellists emphasised that no single institution could unlock Sierra Leone’s investment potential, calling instead for a shared commitment to creating a more conducive environment for the private sector and investors.
Isatu Harrison of Creative Hub Africa shared insights from supporting more than 600 informal creative businesses over the past three years, helping them formalise their operations, improve financial record‑keeping and progress toward investment readiness through partnerships with commercial banks.
Shola Taylor-Pearce, Head of Secretariat, Sierra Leone Association of Commercial Banks (SLACB) announced that member banks of SLACB have recently adopted Voluntary Sustainable Finance Principles, which should enable them to attract lower-cost capital from development finance institutions and deploy it more affordably to businesses. This move should help to expand lending beyond the small percentage of businesses that can meet the criteria and qualifications required for access to traditional finance.
Audience discussions reinforced the critical role of the private sector in driving growth, the need for banks to proactively reach underserved businesses, and the importance of embedding inclusion, particularly for women, at the design stage of financial products rather than as an afterthought.
An accompanying exhibition highlighted practical examples of how collaboration drives progress, including:
- A new partnership between Small Foundation, Vista Bank Sierra Leone and Invest Salone aimed at transforming lending for small businesses.
- Investment readiness journeys and impact achieved by Freetown Waste Transformers, So Pure and Jolaks.
- Collaborative efforts between importers, clearing agents and government to address port delays, waiver bottlenecks and rising tax costs – demonstrating that while challenges remain, meaningful progress is being made through continued dialogue.
Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, Invest Salone’s team leader concluded by saying:
This event is a shared call to action – to build stronger coalitions that are able to drive public and private‑sector leadership, deploy catalytic capital and drive SME development, business formalisation and inclusive growth for Sierra Leone.
