By Musa Aiahson Koroma
Minister of Trade and Industry, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay
“We have achieved remarkable progress in trade, but our journey is far from complete,” Sierra Leone’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, told Sierra Leoneans in London on Thursday. He was speaking at the Civic Day London Edition Conference held at Westminster Chapel, where he announced that exports have grown by more than one‑fifth in two years while the trade deficit has been cut almost in half.
Minister Sesay disclosed that exports rose from US$1.33 billion in 2023 to US$1.68 billion in 2025, representing cumulative growth of 21.4 percent. At the same time, imports fell to US$1.9 billion, helping reduce the trade deficit from US$589 million in 2023 to US$286 million in 2025. He explained that increased local manufacturing has been central to this progress, with new industries producing goods that once had to be imported.
He said Sierra Leone has undertaken a comprehensive trade policy review with the World Trade Organization to strengthen its position as an attractive destination for investment and international trade. According to him, reforms are not only improving the balance of trade but also creating jobs and building confidence among investors.
The Minister highlighted government efforts to promote economic stability and support local businesses. He explained that pricing mechanisms developed in partnership with the World Bank and other international institutions are helping shield consumers from global commodity and fuel price shocks. He added that forthcoming reforms will target Small and Medium‑Sized Enterprises, focusing on integrating informal traders, market women, and young entrepreneurs into the formal financial system to improve access to trade finance and open new business opportunities.
Minister Sesay emphasized that these reforms have boosted investor confidence, attracting over US$800 million in investments for domestic manufacturing and industrial development. He further disclosed that the Government is working with the United Nations Development Programme to establish a Diaspora Investment Fund Policy aimed at creating a transparent framework for Sierra Leoneans abroad to invest securely in the country’s economic growth and transformation.
His presentation underscored the government’s broader trade and investment agenda, which combines legal, financial, and institutional reforms to build resilience and competitiveness. He stressed that Sierra Leone’s progress in trade is not only measured in figures but in the opportunities created for citizens and the confidence it inspires in international partners.
The Civic Day London Conference provided a platform for dialogue between government officials and Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora. It reinforced the message that national transformation requires collective effort, with the diaspora playing a vital role in sustaining growth and ensuring Sierra Leone’s integration into global markets.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wenesday, 24th June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
