Freetown, 21st October, 2026 – The Government of Sierra Leone has officially launched the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS) 2026, a bold regional platform aimed at transforming West Africa’s potential into investment, industry and jobs.
The Summit, conceived under the leadership of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, will take place in Lungi, Sierra Leone, from 16th to 18th November, 2026.
According to government ministers present, WAIIS 2026 is designed to accelerate regional economic integration, unlock private-sector investment and position West Africa as one of the world’s most attractive destinations for transformative capital.
The inaugural Summit is expected to bring together Heads of State and Government, Ministers, global CEOs, development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, entrepreneurs and development partners to forge strategic partnerships.
Announcing the launch in Freetown, Special Envoy of President Bio for WAIIS and Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF), Hon. Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella said that West Africa’s narrative must shift from challenges to opportunities.
“West Africa possesses extraordinary assets: a young and dynamic population, abundant natural resources, growing markets, and enormous entrepreneurial potential. Yet too often, the region is viewed through the lens of its challenges rather than its opportunities. WAIIS seeks to change that narrative by presenting a united regional investment proposition and creating a platform where governments and investors can come together to build practical partnerships that deliver jobs, growth, and prosperity,” he noted.
The Summit will be anchored on four strategic pillars: Energy Trade and Industrialisation, Strategic Minerals, Agribusiness and Food Security, and Digital Transformation.
Speaking on the significance of the platform, the Chief Executive Officer of AfCEN and Chief Operating Officer for WAIIS, Joseph Nganga, said WAIIS is about getting deals done.
“WAIIS is about getting deals done: mobilising capital for major investments in energy, strategic minerals, agribusiness and digital infrastructure, while opening markets and commercial opportunities for businesses across West Africa. Our Deal Rooms will bring governments, investors and enterprises together to advance project financing, forge partnerships and secure supply contracts,” he explained.
With over 450 million people across fifteen member states, West Africa represents one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing emerging markets.
Organizers say significant opportunities remain untapped in energy, infrastructure, agriculture, technology, manufacturing and logistics.
WAIIS is an action-oriented regional investment platform convened under President Bio’s leadership to move priority opportunities from policy and pipeline into capital, contracts and implementation, with a dedicated secretariat tasked with tracking commitments until 2030.
