President Bio urges investors to support Sierra Leone’s agri-food ambitions

At the inaugural Sierra Leone Agri-Food Investment Summit, His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio urged both international and local investors to take advantage of new opportunities in the country’s agriculture sector, promising tax breaks, clearer investment laws, and regulations.
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Economy,” President Bio emphasised the country’s massive untapped potential. “In our fight for food sovereignty, political leadership and policy consistency set Sierra Leone apart,” he told reporters.
President Bio emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting serious investors, promising favourable tax treatment as well as legal and regulatory reforms to improve transparency and predictability. He described the drive to increase agricultural production as both an economic and a social mission: “Every seed planted represents a promise to the farmer that his work is his future,” he explained. He also introduced Feed Salone, which he described as “not just a program, but a movement to restore our pride and dignity,” as the administration’s flagship initiative to ensure national food security from production to market.
The President urged participants to go beyond discussion and turn their commitments into tangible projects that create jobs, boost exports, and strengthen food systems. He identified rice, cassava, poultry, livestock, cocoa, and coffee as high-priority investment areas.
Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh praised the President’s leadership in steering the country toward agricultural growth and industrialisation. Dr Sengeh reported that foreign direct investment commitments related to the administration’s initiatives have surpassed US$2 billion, while interest rates in the economy have fallen from 40% to 15%, which he cited as evidence of improving macroeconomic conditions.
Dr Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture, stated that the summit was intended to connect investors directly with indigenous farmers, to increase productivity and competitiveness. “We are making it easier to acquire land, conduct business, and profit. “Sierra Leone is a country that means business more than ever,” Dr Kpaka declared.
Dr Ibrahim Stevens, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, emphasised agriculture’s role as a stabilising force in the economy, arguing that Feed Salone, combined with prudent macroeconomic reforms, positions the country for strong growth.
From the private sector, Mohamed Sow, Finance Director of PC Holdings Group, revealed that his company has invested US$150 million in Sierra Leonean agricultural ventures over the last seven years, producing onions, maize, palm oil derivatives, and seasoning cubes. He credited presidential support for his confidence in expanding operations.
The summit concluded with renewed pledges from government and private-sector actors to accelerate investment, innovation, and collaboration across Sierra Leone’s agricultural landscape, to transform the country’s land and labour potential into long-term food production and export growth.