State House, Freetown, Wednesday, August 5, 2026 – President Dr Julius Maada Bio today engaged Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank PLC, at State House on deepening private-sector investment, expanding financial inclusion, and strengthening support for Sierra Leone’s economic transformation.
Madam Michaela Mackay, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Access Bank (Sierra Leone) PLC introduced the Access Bank delegation and remarked that the visit was more than a courtesy call. “This shows the commitment of Access Bank’s majority shareholders to Sierra Leone and the strategic importance of the country in the bank’s Pan-African network,” she said.
Madam Mackay spoke about the growing footprint of the bank in Sierra Leone, saying Access Bank now serves over 66,000 customers through 89,000 accounts across nine branches. The bank has over 50 banking agents to support its retail and agency network, and growing digital channels including mobile, internet and USSD platforms. She also pointed to specialised business desks for Chinese, Indian, Lebanese and German clients as part of the bank’s efforts to promote financial inclusion and support diverse business communities.
Roosevelt Ogbonna praised President Bio for creating an environment that is conducive for private-sector investment and investor confidence. The government’s focus on economic reform, development of human capital and investor-friendly policies has helped the bank grow and improved the economic outlook for the country, he said.
“Your leadership has given Sierra Leone the confidence to make the strides that it has. Mr Ogbonna said to the President, “Your commitment to human capital development and private sector growth has laid a strong foundation for long-term economic transformation. He reaffirmed Access Bank’s commitment to working with the government to realise national development goals and contribute to Sierra Leone’s long-term economic vision.
The delegation was received by President Bio, who thanked Access Bank for its continued support and investment in Sierra Leone. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where businesses can invest, grow, and thrive, emphasising that private-sector dynamism is critical to the country’s overall development goals.
We want a vibrant, competitive private sector that can drive economic transformation. “All of the jobs we need cannot be created by government only. “This is why we will continue to promote responsible investment and create an environment conducive to success in business,” the President said, noting the significant role of private enterprise in job creation.
President Bio stressed the importance of investing in human capital. He stressed the need for pursuing education, skill development and economic growth together to prepare the young population for productive employment. “Africa’s greatest asset is its youth,” he said. “If we are to translate the demographic dividend into sustained economic prosperity, it must be underpinned by robust public-private partnerships.
The meeting also offered an opportunity for both sides to reaffirm their commitment to expanding collaboration on initiatives to promote financial inclusion, private sector development and long-term economic growth. They agreed to continue to explore opportunities to increase investment, create jobs and strengthen ties between the government and the financial sector to accelerate Sierra Leone’s development.
