By Josephine sesay
President Julius Maada Bio has engaged leading African business and financial leaders as Sierra Leone intensifies preparations for the forthcoming West African Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS).
The President convened a virtual meeting with prominent figures from Africa’s financial and private sectors to discuss the objectives of WAIIS and its potential to accelerate investment, economic integration and private-sector development across West Africa.
The high-level engagement brought together senior executives from some of Africa’s leading financial institutions, including the Chief Executive Officers of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), as well as the Acting Vice President of the African Development Bank Group.
President Bio said discussions centred on positioning WAIIS as a strategic platform for mobilising private capital and strengthening economic integration among countries in the West African region.
“I emphasised that WAIIS aims to be the leading platform for mobilising private capital and boosting economic integration in West Africa,” President Bio stated.
The President stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between governments, financial institutions and the private sector in unlocking Africa’s investment potential and creating opportunities capable of driving sustainable economic growth.
He also expressed appreciation to prominent African business leaders Tony Elumelu and Alhaji Aliko Dangote for their continued support and commitment to the success of the summit.
Their involvement, alongside that of major African financial institutions, is expected to enhance the summit’s ability to attract investors and facilitate meaningful partnerships across key sectors of the regional economy.
WAIIS is expected to serve as a high-level platform bringing together governments, investors, development finance institutions, commercial banks and private-sector leaders to explore investment opportunities and promote stronger economic cooperation across West Africa.
The summit comes at a time when African countries are increasingly seeking to mobilise domestic and international private capital to finance infrastructure, trade, energy, manufacturing, agriculture and other sectors critical to economic transformation.
For Sierra Leone, the summit also presents an opportunity to showcase the country’s investment potential and strengthen its engagement with major African investors and financial institutions.
The President’s engagement with leading African business figures is therefore seen as part of broader efforts to ensure that WAIIS delivers practical investment outcomes and contributes to deeper regional economic integration.
As preparations continue, expectations are growing that the summit will provide a platform for governments and the private sector to forge new partnerships, identify bankable investment opportunities and develop strategies for unlocking capital to support sustainable development across West Africa.
With the participation of influential African business leaders and major continental financial institutions, WAIIS is expected to attract significant attention and reinforce Sierra Leone’s role in promoting investment and economic cooperation within the region.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 24th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
