A recent three-day Sierra Leone investment initiative brought together international investors and local businesses seeking capital, resulting in a signed deal and numerous networking opportunities for the country’s growing private sector.
The flagship investment event, held on Monday 13 October 2025, was sponsored by British International Investment (BII) in partnership with Invest Salone, the Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA), Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and the Sierra Leone National Investment Board. The forum was significantly oversubscribed, reflecting growing investor appetite for opportunities in Sierra Leone.
It was attended by a Sierra Leonean ministerial delegation led by Chief Minister David Sengeh, and included Dr Musa Kpaka, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Alpha Sesay, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Madam Salimatu Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, and Mr Umaru Koroma, deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, amongst others.
Josephine Gauld, the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, was also in attendance, with BII’s Chair Diana Layfield and Chris Chijiutomi, BII’s Managing Director and Head of Africa, underlining the bilateral nature of investment promotion efforts.
Key deals signed
A notable investment deal was signed between So Pure, a Sierra Leone-based water company, and Zvilo, a UK fintech company providing working capital to small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets. The working capital will help So Pure to provide clean water to households in Freetown through an integrated supply chain, which includes purification and packaging into half-litre sachets or 20-litre dispenser bottles, and employing street vendors and kiosks as distributors. Mustapha Hudroge, CEO of So Pure, described the signing as a shared commitment to expanding access to clean and affordable water in Sierra Leone.
The signing of a memorandum of understanding between Westwind Energy and the Government of Sierra Leone for the production and distribution of improved biomass stoves was another highlight of the forum. Wonder Stoves are 40% more fuel efficient than the traditional stoves used in Sierra Leone and will help conserve natural resources and reduce indoor pollution.
Key themes
The forum showcased investment opportunities across four key themes:
- Emerging sectors including creative industries and technology
- Infrastructure – water and energy
- Agriculture and manufacturing
- Financial services.
Following panel discussions highlighting the growing potential in these sectors, businesses were invited to pitch their investment requirements directly to attending investors, facilitating direct engagement between capital providers and businesses.
Follow-up sessions
At the AFSIC Investing in Africa Conference the following day, on Tuesday 14 October, BII, ARIA and Invest Salone co-hosted a Sierra Leone Investment Summit examining successful investment deals and future transactions. Existing investors shared their experiences of securing investment, as well as operating in Sierra Leone, and presentations on the broader ecosystem support available through organisations like Invest Salone, ARIA and BII demonstrated how the UK government supports pipeline development and helps derisk investment into Sierra Leone.
Diaspora investment
The three-day programme concluded on Wednesday October 15 with a networking event supported by Vult and Invest Salone. The session brought together members of Sierra Leone’s diaspora community to hear from successful UK-based businesses founded by Sierra Leoneans and focused on the role of the Sierra Leone High Commission in promoting trade, business and investment opportunities.
Speakers included Foday Dumbuya, founder and creative director of Labrum London and Sidi Saccoh, director of new markets at Vult. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr David Moinina Sengeh, Chief Minister of Sierra Leone.
Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie led a panel discussion examining how diaspora members could act as catalysts for investment, unlocking opportunities and building partnerships between Sierra Leone and international markets.
In one concrete example of the networking value, connections made at the event led to a link-up between two rice farmers – one urgently needing harvesting equipment and the other with equipment to rent.
The three-day programme demonstrated growing international interest in Sierra Leone’s business opportunities and the active role of bilateral partnerships in facilitating investment flows to the country.
