from TETEH KAMARA in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone Bureau
FREETOWN, (CAJ News) – SIERRA Leone will host the inaugural West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS) in Freetown on 17–18 November, as the region seeks to translate decades of integration commitments into investment, trade and cross-border economic activity.
The summit, convened by President Julius Maada Bio, will take place at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, Port Loko District.
It is being held under an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority mandate following recommendations from the 96th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers.
WAIIS aims to reconnect regional integration with ECOWAS’s founding economic objectives, placing markets, infrastructure and investment at the centre of its agenda.
Organised with global convening partner Richard Attias & Associates, the summit will bring together African and international heads of state, investors, buyers and project sponsors.
Discussions will focus on four growth pillars: energy and green industrialisation; strategic minerals and natural resources; agribusiness and food systems; and digital transformation and connectivity.
Organisers say the preliminary regional pipeline contains more than 170 opportunities with an indicative value of about US$180 billion.
The summit’s investment-conversion model includes an Investor Deal Room, a Buyers’ Marketplace and private-sector roundtables designed to advance project mandates, financing pathways, joint ventures, purchase agreements and other commercial partnerships.
Momentum has already emerged ahead of the Freetown gathering.
At the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, WAIIS launched the West Africa Rice Investment Facility, the first proposed window of a US$1 billion regional Agribusiness and Rice Sovereignty Facility.
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development announced proposed support of US$100 million.
The digital pillar is also developing a regional pipeline linked to the continental AI 10 Billion Initiative, targeting up to US$10 billion in mobilisation by 2035 for infrastructure, entrepreneurship, skills and responsible AI adoption.
President Bio has established a Private Sector Advisory Board to ensure business perspectives influence investment priorities and help identify barriers to cross-border transactions.
He said WAIIS would measure success through transactions advanced, commitments signed and partnerships taken into implementation.
The summit’s preparation is led by Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, President Bio’s Special Envoy for WAIIS and chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security.
Unlike a conventional conference, WAIIS is intended to operate as a year-round execution platform until 2030, maintaining a regional project pipeline, investor matching system and commitment register while tracking progress towards financial close.
About 1,000 participants are expected, including government leaders, international business executives, investors and development finance institutions.
– CAJ News