Africell Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Sierra Leone, officially launched UniPod Sierra Leone on 9 July 2026. The innovation hub, launched at Fourah Bay College in Mount Aureol, aims to support young entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators by providing access to technology, mentorship and business development support with a view to translating ideas into commercially viable solutions to national development challenges.
The UniPod is a catalytic space for students, researchers and entrepreneurs to collaborate in the design, prototyping and development of products and services that respond to local needs. Addressing the launch, Chief Minister, Dr David Sengeh, said the centre is a new way of thinking about innovation, collaboration and problem-solving. He said Sierra Leone had the talent and the enabling policies in place to take the technology forward and urged stakeholders to fast-track the practical implementation of those opportunities. Dr Sengeh also stressed the importance of making innovation inclusive and accessible to all Sierra Leoneans, including persons with disabilities.
The project is the result of a multi-stakeholder partnership between the Government, UNDP, the University of Sierra Leone and Africell Sierra Leone. Afrimoney Chief Executive Officer Martison Obeng-Agyei speaking on behalf of Africell Chief Executive Officer Shadi Gerjawi reiterated Africell’s commitment to supporting education, digital transformation and youth entrepreneurship. Africell will be issuing students with NFC-enabled identification cards that will allow them to access the UniPod Centre seamlessly digitally, Obeng-Agyei announced. He also announced plans to extend high-speed Wi-Fi to parts of Fourah Bay College to improve the digital environment for learning, research and innovation.
He described the UniPod as a platform that can channel creativity into practical solutions and sustainable businesses and encouraged students to take full advantage of the facility. “Africell believes that investing in the youth and technology is key to the economic growth of Sierra Leone and its overall digital transformation,” he said.
Government officials at the launch described the UniPod as in tandem with the country’s priorities on human capital development. Minister of Higher and Technical Education Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie praised UNDP, Africell and the University of Sierra Leone for their partnership, adding that the centre complements the Government’s agenda by providing opportunities for students and researchers to use their knowledge to solve real societal problems. Dr Wurie called on universities to be increasingly seen as centres of innovation where ideas can be developed, tested and translated into products and services that contribute to national development. She also called for the establishment of similar innovation centres within the country to scale up access to young people outside the capital.
“The launch is yet another demonstration of the essential part that innovation and creativity now play in economic development,” said UNDP Resident Representative Fredrick Ampiah. He said that competitiveness in the global economy today is not only about natural resources but also about young people’s ability to develop locally relevant solutions. UniPod provides training in digital skills, entrepreneurship, content creation, and technology development, and supports young innovators in developing businesses that create employment opportunities, according to Ampiah.
The university leadership promoted the facility as a national asset. Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College, Professor Andrew Baio said the UniPod should be considered as a national innovation platform and not just a university facility. “The centre will be open to innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs from across Sierra Leone and will provide the tools and space to design, prototype and develop solutions to real-world problems,” he said.
Minister for Communications, Technology & Innovation. She said the UniPod was a boost to Sierra Leone’s emerging innovation ecosystem and called for collaboration between the new hub and other innovation centres across the country. She also stressed the need to protect intellectual property generated from work at the centre so that innovators could benefit from their creations.
The UniPod Sierra Leone has maker spaces, digital fabrication and prototyping laboratories, business incubation services, mentorship programmes and technology transfer facilities to help turn ideas into viable enterprises. During the launch, guests toured the facility and viewed exhibitions exhibiting innovations by Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs, demonstrating the type of projects the centre hopes to incubate and scale.
The official programme culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tour, another milestone in a concerted effort to promote digital innovation through strong collaboration between government, development partners and the private sector. With Africell as a key player in connectivity and digital access, the UniPod is set to be a significant node in Sierra Leone’s wider efforts to leverage youth creativity and technology for inclusive economic growth.
