By: Andrew Chokpeleh
Freetown, 11th November 2026- President Julius Maada Bio has officially launched the National Investment Board’s (NIB) online business registration services, a new digital platform designed to eliminate unnecessary travel, reduce unofficial fees and simplify the process of registering businesses in Sierra Leone.
The initiative is expected to enable entrepreneurs and investors to register their businesses from anywhere in the country and across the world without having to travel to Freetown or endure lengthy administrative procedures.
President Bio said the introduction of the online registration system would address some of the longstanding challenges faced by business owners, particularly those living outside Freetown who previously had to travel long distances to complete business registration. He noted that the platform would also help prevent the payment of unofficial fees while reducing the time, money and resources spent by entrepreneurs seeking to formalise their businesses.
President Bio emphasised that the effectiveness of government should not be measured solely by the policies it develops, but by how much those policies help citizens save time, money and resources while accessing essential services. He said business registration should no longer depend on personal connections, relationships or proximity to Freetown, but should be a straightforward process accessible to every Sierra Leonean, regardless of their location.
“Business registration should no longer be a burden of distance, unnecessary costs or personal connections. With this online platform, every Sierra Leonean, whether at home or abroad, can register a business from wherever they are, saving valuable time, money and resources. Our commitment is to make government services more accessible, efficient and responsive to the needs of our people while creating an enabling environment for businesses to grow and investors to thrive.”
The President further explained that the initiative would help expand the country’s investment opportunities by allowing local and international investors to register businesses without incurring additional travel and administrative costs. He expressed confidence that the platform would support small businesses to grow into successful enterprises, create opportunities for entrepreneurs, improve family livelihoods and enable Sierra Leonean businesses to compete more effectively within the African market.
He also stressed the importance of government institutions providing services that respond to citizens’ needs, noting that efficient public service delivery was essential to building public trust.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the National Investment Board, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, described business registration as one of the most important initial steps in establishing a business, explaining that it enables entrepreneurs to open bank accounts, access credit facilities, bid for government contracts and enter into agreements with potential investors.
He warned that delays in business registration negatively affect entrepreneurs and the wider economy, including the effectiveness of tax collection, adding that the newly introduced digital platform was designed to address these challenges. Dr. Sandy explained that the traditional paper-based registration system had created several difficulties, including the loss of business records, prolonged processing periods and delays in issuing registration certificates.
He said the introduction of the online platform marked the end of reliance on paper-based business registration, adding that historical registration records dating back to 1890 would also be digitised and incorporated into the new system to improve record management and accessibility.
He further disclosed that applicants would no longer need to visit the National Revenue Authority separately to obtain their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), as the process had been integrated into the online registration platform. According to him, the system operates as a one-stop shop, bringing together the different institutions involved in business registration and making the process more convenient for applicants. Recognising that not everyone is familiar with digital systems and online services, Dr. Sandy said the National Investment Board had established a help desk at its offices to assist individuals who may require guidance in registering their businesses through the platform.
The launch represents an important step towards modernising business registration and improving the investment climate in Sierra Leone. Its success, however, will depend on the platform’s reliability, accessibility and ability to deliver timely services to entrepreneurs across the country and beyond, while ensuring that the challenges associated with the traditional registration system are effectively addressed.
