NIB PRESENTS ITS 2026 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET TO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Freetown, Sierra Leone — September 22, 2025 – The National Investment Board (NIB) has formally presented its Fiscal Year 2026 budget to the Budget Committee at the Ministry of Finance. The presentation not only underscored NIB’s mandate to coordinate, promote, and facilitate investments that will transform Sierra Leone’s economy but also highlighted its significant achievements in the past year.
Opening the session at the Ministry of Finance’s Conference Room, Dr Edward Hinga Sandy, Executive Director of NIB, reaffirmed the institution’s statutory mandate to drive investment promotion and facilitation in Sierra Leone. He not only highlighted the development of the National Investment Strategy (NIS 2025–2030) but also emphasised its full alignment with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030) and the Government’s Big Five Game Changers, instilling confidence in NIB’s strategic direction.
Dr Sandy outlined reforms already underway, including the reduction in business registration turnaround time, progress toward full digitalisation, and the establishment of NIB as a one-stop shop for investment-related services. He stressed that positioning Sierra Leone as a premier investment destination requires not only robust reforms but also the financial resources to strengthen institutional capacity, scale investor facilitation, and consolidate gains in value-added exports.
“Our vision is to create an efficient, transparent, and globally competitive investment ecosystem that drives growth, jobs, and foreign exchange inflows,” Dr Sandy emphasised.
During the presentation, Mr Mohamed Abu Sesay, Director of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Directorate, provided a detailed financial overview of NIB’s budget performance for 2024 and 2025. He showcased how resources had been deployed to deliver on NIB’s mandate, highlighting key achievements such as:
- Mobilising nearly US$600 million in PPP and investment projects, particularly in renewable energy.
- Advancing sector mapping to identify opportunities for SMEs.
- Progress in digitising business registration processes to improve efficiency and transparency.
Looking ahead, Mr Sesay outlined NIB’s 2026 budget priorities, structured around four core pillars of the National Investment Strategy:
- Expanding investment opportunities.
- Enhancing investor engagement and support.
- Developing financing structures and funding channels.
- Building competitiveness through an enabling business environment.
The budget hearing concluded with a robust questions-and-answers session, where civil society representatives, media personnel, and Budget Committee members raised inquiries about revenue mobilisation, investor facilitation, and institutional reforms. The NIB team responded with clarity, reinforcing their unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and results, thereby ensuring the organisation’s sound governance.
In his closing remarks, Mr SEB Momoh, Principal Deputy Financial Secretary, commended NIB for its comprehensive and well-structured presentation. He urged the Board to remain focused on delivering tangible results that will attract credible investment into the country.
Following deliberations, the Budget Committee unanimously approved NIB’s 2026 Fiscal Year Budget, marking another milestone in the Board’s efforts to strengthen Sierra Leone’s investment climate.
