At the 2025 Manufacturers Conference, the Private Sector Session emerged as one of the most candid and consequential conversations of the entire event. Away from the formal speeches and protocol, manufacturers spoke openly about the realities shaping production in Sierra Leone — from energy reliability to standards, access to finance, policy bottlenecks, and the urgency of reorganising the sector for competitiveness.
For the first time in years, the room felt aligned around one truth: Sierra Leone’s manufacturing renaissance will succeed or fail on the strength of the private sector.
This session didn’t just diagnose challenges — it mapped a pathway for industrial renewal that government and development partners can no longer ignore.
“We Are Ready, But We Need an Environment That Works”
A striking sentiment from manufacturers was a shared confidence in their potential. Many businesses are innovating, expanding product lines, investing in machinery, and hiring more youth. But they also stressed that individual effort is not enough without an enabling environment.
Key constraints raised included:
- Unpredictable electricity supply
- High cost of imported raw materials
- Price distortions caused by unregulated imports
- Limited access to affordable financing
- Slow regulatory response and policy implementation gaps
- Weak quality and certification capacity
Yet the tone was not pessimistic — it was pragmatic. The message was: with the right ecosystem, the sector can scale rapidly.
A New Industrial Mindset: Production, not Import Substitution Alone
Several speakers emphasised that Sierra Leone must move beyond the idea of merely replacing imports. The new ambition is value-chain development — using raw materials from agriculture, fisheries, and mining to grow competitive local industries.
Manufacturers called for:
- Stronger domestic supply chains
- Incentives that reward production over importation
- A clear industrial clustering approach
- Integration of SMEs into bigger manufacturing ecosystems
It signalled a shift away from scattered efforts toward a unified, ecosystem-based manufacturing model.
Standards and Certification: The Core of Competitiveness
One of the strongest messages from the private sector was the absolute necessity of strengthening the national standards infrastructure. Without reliable testing facilities, certification systems, and harmonised standards, Sierra Leonean products cannot compete in ECOWAS or AfCFTA markets.
Manufacturers were clear:
- Standards are not an obstacle — they are a passport.
- Without them, competitiveness is impossible.
- Investing in the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau is foundational to industrial growth.
This aligns directly with the emerging national agenda to upgrade quality infrastructure as part of the new Industrialisation Policy.
Access to Finance: The Sector’s Most Persistent Bottleneck
Manufacturers repeated what every industrial ecosystem across Africa knows well — no modern industry grows without access to long-term, patient capital.
Most firms in the session emphasised that:
- Interest rates remain prohibitive
- Machinery imports require predictable financing
- SMEs lack collateral despite proven track records
- Banks must be incentivised to support manufacturing
They highlighted that industrialisation cannot rely on short-term commercial loans; it requires structured financing instruments aligned with the country’s development agenda.
A Renewed Call for Public–Private Partnership
The session also highlighted a growing appreciation for closer collaboration between policymakers and industry operators.
Manufacturers welcomed MTI’s increased engagement over the past months and called for:
- Faster feedback loops
- More frequent technical working sessions
- Joint monitoring of policy implementation
- A stronger, more empowered manufacturing association to unify the sector’s voice
This collaborative spirit is a significant shift — and one of the conference’s most promising outcomes.
A Sector Prepared to Lead — If the System Enables It
Despite the challenges, the Private Sector Session revealed a sector that is confident, self-aware, and ready to lead Sierra Leone’s industrial revival.
Manufacturers did not ask for handouts; they asked for structure.
They did not ask for protectionism; they asked for fairness.
They did not ask for special treatment; they asked for an environment where effort is rewarded, and investment is viable.
Their message was simple: “Give us a system that works, and we will do the rest.”
Why This Session Matters for Sierra Leone’s Industrial Future
The Private Sector Session showed that Sierra Leone’s manufacturing ambitions are grounded in real operational challenges and equally real opportunities.
It confirmed five themes that will shape the industrial decade ahead:
- Industry is ready to scale — but needs a predictable ecosystem.
- Standards and quality infrastructure must be national priorities.
- Access to finance is the biggest brake on growth.
- Local value chains are the future of manufacturing.
- Government – private sector coordination is now stronger — and must be intensified.
In essence, the sector is not waiting. It is moving.
And if the momentum from this session continues, Sierra Leone may be on the verge of its most transformative industrial shift in decades.