Sierra Leone has opened a new chapter in its global investment drive with the launch of the Sierra Leone Investment Forum in London, a high-level event bringing together government officials, on Monday 13th October 2025, international investors, and development finance institutions to explore business opportunities in one of West Africa’s fastest-growing economies.
Held at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, the Forum formed part of the Government of Sierra Leone’s broader strategy to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation with the United Kingdom.
Under the theme “Ready for Investment, Open for Partnership,” the event highlighted the country’s progress under His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Game Changers Agenda, which prioritizes agriculture, human capital development, youth employment, public sector reform, and technology and infrastructure.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Morie Komba Manyeh, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the UK, described the Forum as “a platform designed to deepen partnerships, inspire confidence, and showcase Sierra Leone’s enormous investment potential.” He reaffirmed that ongoing reforms have created a conducive business environment that empowers private sector growth and innovation.
Introducing the keynote speaker, Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Dr. Manyeh hailed him as one of Sierra Leone’s most dynamic and forward-thinking leaders — “a reformer who continues to inspire a new generation that believes in innovation, technology, and evidence-based policymaking as the engine of progress.”
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Sengeh emphasized Sierra Leone’s readiness for global partnerships, noting that the government has stabilized the economy, strengthened investor protection laws, and simplified key systems.
“We have stabilized our economy, strengthened our laws, and simplified our systems. Now we invite our partners to join us because Sierra Leone is ready for investment and open for partnership,” he declared.
Dr. Sengeh pointed to positive economic indicators including single-digit inflation, a stable currency, and a projected GDP growth rate of 4.5 percent in 2025 as proof of Sierra Leone’s resilience and growth potential. He also cited key institutional reforms such as the creation of the National Investment Board (NIB), led by Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, and new legislation that streamlines land acquisition, taxation, and business registration processes.
The Chief Minister identified promising investment opportunities in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, tourism, infrastructure, and financial services, as well as in the creative economy, which now contributes approximately 4.5 percent of the country’s GDP.
“When creativity meets commerce, everybody wins,” he added, underscoring the government’s commitment to harnessing innovation for inclusive growth.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Umaru Napoleon Koroma Esq., Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources; Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security; Hon. Alpha Sesay Esq., Attorney General and Minister of Justice; Ms. Salima Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation; and H.E. Josephine Lucy Louisa Gauld LVO, British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone.
The event was co-hosted by British International Investment (BII), Invest Africa, Invest Salone, and the Sierra Leone High Commission in London. It concluded with a networking reception and firm commitments to strengthen engagement between Sierra Leone and UK-based investors.
“When you invest in Sierra Leone, you are investing in a country where profit and purpose coexist where sustainability is not an afterthought, but a competitive advantage,” Dr. Sengeh concluded.
The London Forum marks another milestone in Sierra Leone’s ongoing effort to position itself as a reliable, transparent, and future-ready destination for global investment.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 15th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
