Freetown, 9th November 2026- Sierra Leone has taken a significant step towards expanding opportunities for young creatives and entrepreneurs after signing a Statement of Intent with cross-border technology and media company, The Akuna Group, to launch the Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership.
The agreement, signed during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026, aims to connect creators across participating countries with skills development programmes, funding opportunities and access to international markets.
For Sierra Leone, the initiative aligns closely with the government’s human capital development agenda and efforts to create employment opportunities for young people through innovation, technology and the creative industries.
The signing ceremony brought together President Julius Maada Bio, Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr. A. Korir Sing’Oei, and Akuna Group Chairman Sir Idris Elba.
Speaking at the event, Sir Idris Elba said the initiative is designed to help creators transform their talents into sustainable economic opportunities.
“And that’s really what we’re trying to do through Akuna. Bring people together, build those connections, and help turn creativity into opportunity, so more people can make a living from their talent and own what they create,” he said.
Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh described Sierra Leone’s young population as a valuable national asset and emphasized the need to invest in their potential.
“Our young people are not a problem to be managed; they are the resource to invest in,” he stated.
The partnership comes as Akuna expands its presence in digital finance and creative industry development across Africa. Earlier this year, its subsidiary, Akuna Wallet Ltd., was admitted into the Bank of Ghana’s regulatory sandbox for Virtual Asset Service Providers, allowing the company to test digital asset solutions aimed at simplifying cross-border payments for African creators.
According to the company, the Stellar-powered platform seeks to reduce the high transaction costs often incurred by African creatives when receiving international payments, helping them retain a larger share of their earnings.
Sierra Leone is also among five African countries selected to benefit from a $1 million Google. org-backed artificial intelligence film training programme being rolled out by Akuna. The initiative will provide training and mentorship opportunities for filmmakers and content creators in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Highlighting the programme’s potential impact, Sir Idris Elba said the project would equip African creators with new skills and technologies while enabling them to tell authentic stories to global audiences.
“Through Akuna Learning, we’re partnering with Google and Curious Refuge on ‘From Script to Screen with AI’, a remarkable training and mentorship programme teaching African filmmakers to use AI tools. Selected projects will receive production funding, and creators will retain control of their work,” he said.
The actor and entrepreneur added that the programme is intended not only to support education and job creation but also to help shape Africa’s narrative through locally driven storytelling.
The agreement is expected to open new pathways for Sierra Leonean creatives, filmmakers, artists and digital entrepreneurs to access international markets, attract investment and benefit from emerging technologies within the rapidly growing global creative economy.
