By Stephen V. Lansana
FREETOWN – The Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) has honoured 22 outstanding entrepreneurs from Bo, Bombali, and Port Loko districts for their contributions to enterprise growth, quality improvement, and value addition in the cassava flour and palm kernel oil value chains.
The recognition ceremony, held on Thursday, 23 July 2026, at CHASL Hall in Freetown, concluded Phase II of the Opportunity Salone Project, a European Union‑funded initiative implemented by SLLCA with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO). The project targeted 22 local businesses across the three districts, helping them expand operations and improve product quality.
Awardees included enterprises such as Akim Soap Making, God Will Soap Factory, Kulump Women Empowerment Agri Business, Cassavity SL Limited, and Conteh Industries, among others.
Progress in Local Value Addition
In his opening remarks, SLLCA Director General Fodeba Daboh praised the resilience of indigenous entrepreneurs operating in hard‑to‑reach communities. He highlighted the transformation of cassava from a basic food crop into a raw material for confectionery production, reducing Sierra Leone’s dependence on imported wheat flour. Daboh reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to strengthening local businesses under President Julius Maada Bio’s leadership, stressing that government would continue to create opportunities for Sierra Leoneans to take ownership of the economy.
ILO Chief Technical Adviser Tonderai Manoto noted that several of the awardees had been left out of the project’s first phase but persevered to improve their businesses. He disclosed that three of the seven enterprises now ready to export benefited from SLLCA’s mentorship programme, including two based in Makeni.
Women Leading Enterprise Growth
Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Haja Fatmata Kamara urged entrepreneurs to remain committed to innovation and continuous growth. She revealed that 14 of the 22 awardees were women, reflecting government’s commitment to building female capacity in enterprise development. Kamara encouraged entrepreneurs to process raw materials into finished products rather than exporting them, stressing that local value addition is key to industrialisation and economic transformation.
Parliamentary Support
Representing the Parliamentary Committee on Communications, Trade and Industry, Hon. Fallah Tengbe described the ceremony as historic and transformative. He said the recognition underscored Sierra Leone’s shift “from local excellence to global competitiveness” and reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to strengthening local content development. Tengbe also emphasized the importance of leveraging digital platforms to enable entrepreneurs to compete internationally.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards to businesses demonstrating excellence in innovation, quality improvement, and enterprise development. Officials and stakeholders hailed the initiative as a milestone in Sierra Leone’s drive to promote local entrepreneurship, reduce imports, and advance national economic growth.