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Finance that Fits: How Small Foundation, Vista Bank and Invest Salone partnered to transform lending for small businesses

Find out how a partnership between Invest Salone, Vista Bank Sierra Leone and the Small Foundation is shifting the bank’s portfolio toward lending to SMEs by strengthening credit assessment tools and improving sector knowledge, with support from a risk-sharing guarantee.

Topic: Finance, Financial instruments for business

Sector: Business, Finance

Geographic Focus: Sierra Leone

Published by: Invest Salone

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The road to Sierra Leone’s Voluntary Sustainable Finance Principles

This timeline explores the collaborations and milestones involved in producing Sierra Leone’s first coordinated, sector-wide framework for integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into financial sector decision-making, leading to its adoption on 23 June 2026.

Topic: ESG, Finance, Sustainable finance

Sector: Business, Finance, Investment

Geographic Focus: Sierra Leone

Published by: Invest Salone

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Building a Coalition for Catalytic Capital – Invest Salone Showcase, January 2026

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.

Topic: Entrepreneurship and innovation, Finance, Financial instruments for business, Investment, Investment and export promotion, Public private dialogue (PPD)

Sector: Business, Finance, Investment, Manufacturing

Geographic Focus: Sierra Leone

Published by: Invest Salone

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Sierra Leone voluntary sustainable finance principles

This framework comprises nine voluntary principles designed to help financial institutions integrate environmental, social and governance considerations into lending, investment and business decision-making. It represents Sierra Leone’s first coordinated, sector-wide framework for integrating ESG considerations into financial sector decision-making.

Topic: ESG, Finance, Investment, Sustainable finance

Sector: Finance, Investment

Geographic Focus: Sierra Leone

Published by: Invest Salone

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Sierra Leone voluntary sustainable finance principles: Sector-level guidance for financial institutions

This sector-level guidance supports financial institutions with the implementation of the voluntary sustainable finance principles. It is tailored for a diverse range of financial institutions – from microfinance lenders to larger commercial banks – and focuses on the “everyday” business of banking with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Sierra Leone, covering the key sectors: agriculture, fisheries and forestry; construction; energy and energy efficiency; and value chains (e.g. manufacturing and wholesale/retail trade).

Topic: ESG, Finance, Sustainable business, Sustainable finance

Sector: Finance

Geographic Focus: Sierra Leone

Published by: Invest Salone

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