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Sierra Leone is seeking to secure a US$100 million investment commitment from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) as part of a proposed US$500 million facility to transform rice production and strengthen value chains across West Africa.
The commitment was announced during a high-level roundtable on “Scaling Innovative Finance for Competitive Rice Value Chains” at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026. The session was facilitated by the Gates Foundation.
Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, represented President Julius Maada Bio at the engagement, alongside the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka.
Sengeh said the Government had made substantial investments in rice production zones under President Bio’s Feed Salone programme, including irrigation, land development, processing clusters, roads and market infrastructure.
“The Government, through President Bio’s Feed Salone programme, has made substantial investments in rice production zones,” he said. “However, as a country, we are ambitious to bring partners who are ready to invest and transform the lives of Sierra Leoneans through agriculture.”
In response to Sierra Leone’s investment drive, EBID committed US$100 million towards the proposed West Africa Rice Investment Facility, which is expected to mobilise a total of US$500 million.
The proposed facility will focus on improving access to finance and agricultural inputs while strengthening private-sector partnerships across the rice value chain.
It is expected to provide different forms of capital, guarantees and technical assistance to reduce investment risks and encourage greater private-sector participation in rice production, processing and marketing.
The initiative forms part of Sierra Leone’s broader efforts to increase domestic rice production, improve food security and position agriculture as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
The Sierra Leone delegation is also expected to use the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 to pursue additional investment opportunities and partnerships aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation.
Sierra Leone will host the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit from November 17 to 18, 2026, providing another platform for regional investment discussions and collaboration.
The proposed rice investment facility and the EBID commitment are expected to support efforts to address financing gaps and improve the competitiveness of rice value chains across the region.
