By: Saidu Jalloh
In a groundbreaking initiative to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sierra Leone, Vista Bank Sierra Leone and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are unveiling a €10 million partnership facility at the Sierra Leone Agrifood Investor Summit, which is currently being held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.
This announcement follows a historic signing ceremony last week in Washington, D.C., where the Group Heads of the EIB and Vista Bank Sierra Leone officially sealed the €10 million facility agreement. This marks the first time the EIB has extended such a financial facility to a commercial bank in Sierra Leone, aimed at providing much-needed financing for SMEs. The facility is expected to significantly enhance access to capital for local entrepreneurs.
The signing ceremony in Washington was attended by Dr. Ibrahim L. Stevens, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL), alongside senior officials from both Vista Bank and the EIB.
At today’s summit, the partnership presentation will be followed by opening statements from the National Investment Board, an experience-sharing session by PEE CEE & SONS, and speeches from the Ministers of Finance, and Agriculture and Food Security. His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio is expected to deliver the keynote address, which will be followed by a video showcasing investment opportunities in Sierra Leone.
Representatives from the European Union Delegation in Freetown, EIB Regional Office, Vista Bank, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will lead the main presentations.
The event will also feature two panel discussions. The first panel, focusing on Investment Opportunities in Sierra Leone, will include contributions from the Ministries of Agriculture and Trade, as well as the World Bank/IFC. The discussion will be moderated by the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Food Security (PI-CREF).
Company presentations will follow, with Willing Hands, Jam Jay, and Rainforest Building sharing their business journeys, challenges, and expansion plans.
The second panel discussion will focus on Overcoming Challenges for Successful Investments in Agrifood A Private Sector Perspective. This session will feature investors and entrepreneurs discussing strategies for engaging smallholder farmers and achieving sustainable growth in the sector.
The day’s proceedings will conclude with closing remarks from the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, followed by one-on-one meetings between government officials and development partners. The Sierra Leone Agrifood Investor Summit will continue until Thursday, October 30, 2025.
