Her Excellency Ayo Luther Ogbomde, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone and President BioFreetown, Thursday 9 July 2026_President Dr Julius Maada Bio today formally received three newly accredited envoys to the Republic of Sierra Leone and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, promoting regional cooperation and expanding international partnerships. Also at State House, the envoys handed over the Letters of Recall for their predecessors and presented their Letters of Credence.
The diplomats who presented their credentials were: Her Excellency Ayo Luther Ogbomde, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone; His Excellency Lincoln George Downer, High Commissioner of Jamaica to Sierra Leone, resident in Abuja, Nigeria; and His Excellency Dr Eustáquio Januário Quibato, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to Sierra Leone, resident in Conakry, Guinea.
Each envoy brought warm greetings from his respective Head of State and Government and expressed appreciation for the hospitality of Sierra Leone. They also pledged to work closely with President Bio and his administration to deepen longstanding relations and explore new areas of cooperation in several sectors.
On behalf of the Government of Nigeria, High Commissioner Ogbomde reiterated her country’s interest in strengthening the long-standing partnership between Nigeria and Sierra Leone. She cited such priorities as regional security, democratic governance, economic cooperation and regional integration. ‘Your Excellency, I wish to thank you very much for the warm hospitality shown to me. I will strive to strengthen the long-standing relationship that exists between Nigeria and Sierra Leone during my tenure. “I also bring warm greetings from your brother, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” she said.
His Excellency Lincoln George Downer, High Commissioner of Jamaica to Sierra Leone and President Bio
Jamaican High Commissioner Downer said Jamaica and Sierra Leone shared a deep historical and cultural relationship and he himself had ancestral links to Sierra Leone’s maroon heritage. He referred to Sierra Leone as “my second home” and said he was looking forward to strengthening ties in tourism, culture and investment – areas he said present significant opportunities for both countries. His presence as a resident High Commissioner in Abuja shows Jamaica’s desire to increase diplomatic and people-to-people exchanges in the West African sub-region.
Ambassador Quibato, Ambassador of Angola, thanked President Bio for accepting his credentials and mentioned agriculture, mining and technical cooperation as priority sectors for enhanced cooperation. His comments highlighted shared development goals and the opportunity for mutually beneficial exchanges of skills and technical assistance.
Responding, President Bio welcomed the three envoys on behalf of the people and Government of Sierra Leone and assured them of his administration’s fullest cooperation during their respective postings. He described Nigeria as “one of Sierra Leone’s closest and most trusted partners”, commending the historic role played by Nigeria in the restoration of peace in Sierra Leone during the country’s civil conflict. Sierra Leone and Nigeria have a long-standing and enduring friendship. We remain eternally grateful to Nigeria for the sacrifices it made in assisting to restore peace in our country. Kindly convey my warmest regards to my brother, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “I look forward to enhancing our collaboration in security, democracy, good governance, regional integration, trade and economic development during your tenure,” the President said.
Ambassador Quibato, Ambassador of Angola and President Bio
In a meeting with Jamaica’s envoy, President Bio pointed out the unique historical and cultural ties between the two countries, adding that there is great potential for people-to-people exchanges as a basis for cooperation in culture, tourism and investment. The President encouraged the representative of Angola to forge strong partnerships in agriculture, mining, skills transfer and technical cooperation – areas he identified as central to Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.
To conclude, President Bio assured all three diplomats of his government’s unflinching support and invited them to feel at home in Sierra Leone. My Government and I will give you our fullest support. Make yourself at home in Sierra Leone. You are always welcome through my doors, and I hope you will not be strangers. “Let’s work together to strengthen friendship and cooperation between our countries for the benefit of our peoples,” he said.
The credentialing ceremony is a formal diplomatic procedure that marks the official beginning of each envoy’s mission and presents an opportunity to set a tone for engagement. The presentations and exchanges at State House highlight Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to expand diplomatic engagement, deepen strategic alliances, and pursue joint initiatives that promote peace, economic growth and sustainable development throughout the region.
Officials said the presentations also opened avenues for practical cooperation in priority sectors such as security, governance, trade, culture, tourism, agriculture, mining and technical assistance, all of which are in line with Sierra Leone’s development agenda and the mutual interests of the partner countries.
