The Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), in collaboration with Startup Bodyshop and the IPAM Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEEI-IPAM), on Monday hosted an engagement session in Freetown to commemorate Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025.
The discussion brought together innovators, students, and young professionals to explore pathways for business growth and problem-solving in Sierra Leone.
Delivering the opening remarks, Dr. Joe Abass Bangura described the week as a time to celebrate innovators while acknowledging the persistence behind every entrepreneurial success. He defined entrepreneurship as “the monetisation of ideas,” stressing that creativity must translate into value people are willing to pay for or benefit from.
DSTI’s Technical Director, Ibrahim Rashid Bayoh, reflected on his software engineering journey, noting that ideas alone do not create impact. He said the real work lies in shaping concepts into solutions that address real-world challenges. Bayoh further highlighted systemic delays and fragmented decision-making as frequent obstacles for innovators, adding that DSTI is modernising government systems to create a more supportive environment for problem-solvers.
He also referenced a key achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic, when DSTI secured free access to Coursera for Sierra Leoneans—an initiative that enabled more than 10,000 learners to gain digital, business, and administrative skills, with many using their certificates to secure employment.
Bayoh encouraged young innovators to embrace setbacks as learning moments, noting that global tech giants such as Microsoft and Google reached success through cycles of trial, error, and reinvention.
A fireside chat moderated by Dr. Bangura featured sector leaders who delivered frank insights:
Williams Conteh, former IPAM Head of Entrepreneurship and now Operations Officer at the IFC–World Bank, said many local ventures struggle due to weak internal structures and poor professional systems.
Herbert Jones, Founder of Peninsula Innovation Group, urged entrepreneurs to build with a long-term mindset and a sense of national duty.
Tafadzwa Chiganga, CEO of Muzambiringa, emphasized resilience, humility, and readiness to seize opportunities.
Bayoh added that limited access to digital tools, fear of adopting new methods, and unwillingness to collaborate hinder growth in the innovation space.
Responding to concerns about working with government agencies despite bureaucratic delays, Bayoh advised entrepreneurs to remain engaged, noting that progress comes through continuous dialogue since DSTI develops tools used across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
The session concluded with a collective message: strengthening Sierra Leone’s entrepreneurial landscape requires joint effort. Institutions such as DSTI, academic centers like CEEI-IPAM, and private hubs including Startup Bodyshop must continue collaborating to build ventures that create jobs and deliver practical solutions.
As Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 wrapped up, participants were challenged to keep building ideas that hold value, remain open to learning, and work together. Organisers said the future of business in Sierra Leone will be shaped by those willing to put in the work.
