Tony Elumelu Hosts President Bio and First Lady in Lagos
Osman Tolo Sesay Nigerian businessman and investor Tony Elumelu and his wife hosted Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Maada Bio at their home in Lagos on Tuesday evening, according to a report on the gathering.
The private engagement took place during President Bio’s visit to Lagos, where he is attending the second meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Board for the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS).
Bio is leading preparations for WAIIS, which is scheduled for November 2026 in Sierra Leone and is intended to bring governments, investors, development partners and private-sector leaders together around regional investment and economic integration.
Elumelu, the chairman of United Bank for Africa and a prominent African investor and philanthropist, has previously expressed support for the summit. In June, Sierra Leone’s State House reported that he pledged his support for WAIIS and offered to help mobilise leading African private-sector figures around the initiative.
The summit is focused on areas including energy and industrial development, strategic minerals, agribusiness and food systems, and digital transformation, according to the Sierra Leonean presidency.
The Lagos visit therefore places President Bio in direct engagement with influential Nigerian business leaders as Sierra Leone seeks to build private-sector participation and investment ahead of the regional summit.