The Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL), commonly known simply as Brewery Limited, is the first and only brewery of international standards in the country.

It is not only one of the most viable businesses employing hundreds of workers and providing a livelihood for dozens of farmers especially sorghum farmers, but it’s also a kind of historical institution that has seen change of several governments including military governments, come and go since the country gained independence in 1961.

By Austin Thomas

Six of the seven entrepreneurs with their certificates and monies

Sensi Hub, a financial institution that supports young entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone has supported seven young entrepreneurs in various fields with thousands of pound sterling.

Addressing them the Director of Sensi Hub Morris Marrah said for this year they are supporting 30 young entrepreneurs in various fields with a total amount of 70,000 pounds.

Africa’s top businessman – Aliko Dangote, has called for conscious efforts at deepening African regional market by African investors and governments, so as to aid rapid growth and development of the Continent’s economy.

Speaking in London in a “One to One Conversation” at the ongoing 5th annual Financial Times African Summit, the Nigerian entrepreneur said that the key to Africa’s economic growth and strength is in the development of the regional market. “Regional markets in Africa must work,” he said.

Dangote calls on Africans to patronize African markets, which he said is why the free trade agreements by African nations is the direction to go to strengthen African markets.

MoneyGram, a leading global money transfer service in Ghana, has been recognized for its innovation in money transfer with the Mobex Africa Innovation in Money Transfer Award. The award acknowledges MoneyGram’s continuous innovation in enabling remittances directly to bank accounts and into mobile wallets, which were both introduced this year.   MoneyGram was selected from a competitive nominee pool including major players like GHIPSS, Expresspay, Ecobank, Barclays Bank & Alexpay.

MoneyGram, a leading global money transfer service in Ghana, has been recognized for its innovation in money transfer with the Mobex Africa Innovation in Money Transfer Award. The award acknowledges MoneyGram’s continuous innovation in enabling remittances directly to bank accounts and into mobile wallets, which were both introduced this year.   MoneyGram was selected from a competitive nominee pool including major players like GHIPSS, Expresspay, Ecobank, Barclays Bank & Alexpay.

Mohamed Kallon, Interim President NAPP

As part of their study tour to Sierra Leone, the visiting Gambian Public Procurement Authority delegation met members of the Sierra Leone National Public Procurement Professionals.

Mohamed Kallon, interim President of the National Association of Procurement Professionals (NAPP) in Sierra Leone, who also doubles as Assistant Director in the Ministry of Education in charge of Procurement, told this medium that his Association was formed to champion the activities of procurement professionals in Sierra Leone over a year ago.

By Amadu Lamrana Bah

Market scene in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Jacob Jusu Saffa, says the economy of the small mineral-rich West African country is struggling and blames policies of the past regime as the main reason.

Saffa says the economy could have crashed had it not been for some of the prudent measures they, as a new government, have initiated since coming to power more than 100 days ago.

Ministry of Tourism officials have informed this press that the Thomas Cook Group, one of the leading global tour operators will soon start tourism operations in Sierra Leone, after the two entities arrive at final conclusions.

The officials added that in a recent meeting with the Flight and Airport Services Manager of Thomas Cook Group,  Stephane Joly, she said the company will be sending their executives to Sierra Leone to evaluate tourism investment opportunities soon.

By Mohamed Lamin Banya

Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL) has officially launched canned products.

The ceremony, which was held at the company headquarters in Wellington east end of Freetown was graced by the Chief Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, the Director of Local Content in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, members of the diplomatic corps among other personalities.

In his opening statement, the chairman of the event Dennis Streeter asserted that it is a great day in the history of the SLBL and the country. He maintained that, the Brewery has been loyal to its customers since its inception and never left even during the civil war and the Ebola outbreak.

Trade Minister Peter Bayuku Konteh

Minister of Trade and Industry has vowed to do what it takes to discourage monopoly by opening up the market space so that more players will come on board to do business.

Peter Bayuku Conteh was speaking during presentation of their 2019 budget and strategic plan. He also spoke about what they were able to achieve in the year under review before the technical committee at the budget hearing at Bank of Sierra Leone Complex.

A new chicken farm in Sierra Leone, which will be one of the largest in West Africa, will address all domestic egg needs by producing about 195 million eggs per year and will create 2,000 new jobs, according to a State House release.
The government of Sierra Leone has chosen Agrotop, a leading global player in livestock turnkey projects, and Integrated Solutions Africa (ISA) Group, which specializes in financial solutions and implementation of complex projects in Africa, to construct a large-scale layer and pullets farm at an investment of $60 million.

A Chinese-American investor, Juliana Evelyn Stark, has told this medium in an exclusive interview that she is determined to invest massively in Sierra Leone, thereby creating jobs for Sierra Leoneans and improving standard of living in the country.

Ms. Stark, whose company, United Nations Commutech Group, based in New York, is set to commence operations in Sierra Leone. She was speaking to Concord Times at the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in Beijing after deliberation with Ambassador Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina.

By Mohamed Lamin Banya

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) together with Civil Society Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery on Tuesday 11^th September 2018 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help tackle corruption in the country.

National Coordinator of the Consortium William Sao-Lamin said as a consortium they are determined to work with the ACC, adding that they had already began working with the ACC before signing the MOU.

By Ronald J. Morovia

EcoBank one of the leading financial institutions in the country has launched its Emerald Business Club which is geared towards bringing together Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and their customers to enhance financial services in the country.

Giving the rationale for the establishment of the Emerald Business Club, Head of Commercial Banking at EcoBank, Victor Williams explained that Emerald Business Club is geared towards providing dynamic support for networking of small and medium Enterprises and local corporate customers for promotion of their products locally and across their network of thirty-three Africa markets. Mr. William stated that since its establishment in 2006, EcoBank currently has eight branches, with twenty-four ATM locations and eighty-two points of sale country-wide.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has said that we must break the Anglophone-Francophone barriers to facilitate trade and investment in the sub-region.

President Bio made this statement while addressing business leaders and members of the Ivorian private sector at an interactive meeting past weekend at the headquarters of the Business General Confederation of Cote d’Ivoire (CGECI) in Abidjan.

Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Bah

Vice President Dr. has assured owners of small businesses of his SLPP government’s determination to provide an enabling environment and level playing field for small businesses to thrive and contribute to economic growth.

According to Dr. Jalloh, it is necessary for countries like Sierra Leone to encourage and promote indigenous businesses in order to accelerate growth in order to compete globally.

By State House Media and Communications Uniti

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has initiated the Sierra Leone-Qatar Business Council during a meeting with high-powered delegation from the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Doha on Saturday 21st April 2018 at the St. Regis.

During the meeting, His Excellency told members of the Chamber that Sierra Leone presented unique opportunities for private investment and that his new Government will create the appropriate environment where businesses have confidence to invest in Sierra Leone.

By Prince C. Kamara

“This event offers a unique opportunity for businesses in our country Sierra Leone and the region to exhibit their products and services to enable them tap into new markets and more importantly enhance their competitiveness in the regional and global economy.”

These words were part of the statement delivered by Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh.

By Mohamed Kai

Magistrate Sangitie Bangura presiding over the Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 on Siaka Steven Street in Freetown has remanded six women to the Female Correction Centre on Jomo Kenyatta Road for Fraud, contrary to Law.

The six women are former workers of Best Supermarket in Bo.

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone on Monday 4th September concluded a one day training and engagement for senior officers of the Sierra Leone Police on Business and Human Rights held at its headquarters at NEC Building, Tower Hill.

These Senior Police officers comprised of Local Unit Commanders (LUC) drawn from various police stations across the country.