🇸🇱Sierra Leone
Diamonds, iron ore, rutile, bauxite, gold, one of the world's largest natural harbours and some of West Africa's finest beaches. Sierra Leone is rebuilding its economy around mining and agriculture.
Economic overview
Sierra Leone is an English-speaking coastal country of 8.5 million people, with one of the world's largest natural harbours at Freetown and a rich subsoil: quality diamonds, Tonkolili and Marampa iron ore, rutile of which it is one of the world's leading producers, bauxite, gold and lithium. After the civil war ending in 2002 and Ebola, the country regained peace and democratic alternation.
Agriculture, rice, cocoa, coffee, palm, cashew, occupies most of the population with significant potential on fertile, well-watered land. Fisheries are abundant. Tourism, on the Freetown peninsula and the islands, remains very underdeveloped despite exceptional beaches.
The government is betting on mining, agriculture, energy and a new port and airport to revive the economy. Sierra Leonean diamonds and gold are largely traded in Dubai, and Gulf investors are interested in mining, energy and infrastructure.
Why invest in Sierra Leone
Diamonds and minerals
Gem-quality diamonds, iron ore, rutile, bauxite, gold, lithium: diversified resources with projects in development.
The port of Freetown
One of the world's largest natural harbours, with a new international airport opened in 2023.
Agriculture and fisheries
Fertile land, rice, cocoa, palm, and fish-rich waters.
Untapped tourism
Peninsula beaches, Banana and Turtle islands: a destination to be created.
Strategic sectors
Diamonds, iron ore, rutile, gold, lithium
Mining, compliant trading through the Kimberley Process, exploration.
Rice, cocoa, palm, cashew
Plantations, processing and import substitution.
Solar, hydro
Plants and mini-grids for an under-electrified country.
Beaches, islands
Resorts and hotels on the peninsula.
Processing
Processing plants and export.
Freetown
Housing, hospitality and offices.
Opportunities for UAE investors
Sierra Leonean diamonds and gold are traded in Dubai. This is what we structure.
- Compliant diamonds
Trading through approved exporters and the Kimberley Process.
- Gold to Dubai
Approved buying houses and documentation.
- Agriculture
Rice and cocoa with local processing.
- Solar
Plants and mini-grids.
- Tourism
Resorts on the Freetown peninsula.
Risks and how we manage them
Roads and power are limited. Every project is self-sufficient.
The leone depreciates. We structure in dollars.
Diamonds and gold require strict traceability. We work only with documented flows.
8.5 million people. Projects target export.
Legal framework and ties with the UAE
Investing in Sierra Leone
- Investment Act and SLIEPA: one-stop shop.
- Special economic zones.
- Mines and Minerals Act 2022.
- Kimberley Process for diamonds.
- Recognised international arbitration.
The Dubai connection
- Freetown–Dubai via Addis Ababa or Istanbul.
- Dubai as the market for diamonds and gold.
- UAE interest in mining and energy.
- Sierra Leonean community in the UAE.
Dubai as your operating base
For a UAE investor, Sierra Leone is best worked from Dubai. The city offers the tools that are often missing on the ground: a Free Zone holding company to carry the stake, banks used to African flows, a recognised international arbitration framework, tax treaties and investment protection agreements, and regular flights to the continent. For an entrepreneur or institution from Sierra Leone, Dubai is symmetrically the gateway to Gulf capital, commodity buyers and Asian industrial partners. ABC Consultancy sits in the middle of that bridge: we know both shores and we speak to both.
How ABC Consultancy supports you
A confidential 45-minute call to understand your objectives, ticket size, horizon and risk appetite. We tell you whether the project makes sense before going any further.
A written note that sets the perimeter: sector, deal format, partners to target, timeline, study budget and deliverables. It serves as the engagement contract.
Identification of partners, assets and institutional counterparts on the ground. Every counterparty is checked: titles, management, track record, reputation, ongoing disputes.
Meetings with authorities, partners and sites. We prepare, accompany and translate every exchange, then produce a decision-ready report.
Legal and financial set-up between Dubai and the country with our partner lawyers and auditors: holding, joint venture, shareholder agreement, commercial contracts, full due diligence.
Governance, reporting, relations with the authorities, renewal of approvals. We remain your trusted contact for as long as the transaction lives.
Who we work with
UAE funds and family offices
You want exposure to Sierra Leone with a reliable local partner and a Dubai holding structure. We source, vet and structure.
Industrial groups and traders
You need to secure a supply chain, a plant or a commercial outlet in Sierra Leone. We organise the mission, the approvals and the contracts.
Local institutions and companies
You represent a ministry, an agency or a company from Sierra Leone and are looking for capital and partners in the Gulf. We prepare your file and open the doors.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sierra Leone stable?
Yes, with peaceful democratic transitions since 2007. Risks are economic and logistical.
Can diamonds be exported legally?
Yes, through approved exporters and Kimberley Process certificates. We structure compliant chains.
What is the minimum ticket to invest in Sierra Leone with ABC Consultancy?
There is no fixed threshold: it depends on the sector and the format. An equity stake in a mining project runs into millions of dollars, whereas a trading or real estate operation can start much lower. In the first conversation we tell you honestly whether your budget allows a serious transaction.
How long does a transaction take?
Expect three to six months between the scoping note and signature for a trading or real estate operation, and nine to eighteen months for a agriculture project requiring approvals, in-depth due diligence and structured financing.
How is ABC Consultancy paid?
Through engagement fees set in the scoping note, possibly completed by a success fee at signing. We never take hidden remuneration from a counterparty: our only loyalty is to you.
Do I need a Dubai company to invest in Sierra Leone?
It is not mandatory, but it is often the best solution: a Free Zone holding carries the stake, benefits from tax treaties and protection agreements, and repatriates dividends within a clear framework. We set it up with you.
A project in Sierra Leone ?
Describe it in a few lines. We get back to you within 48 hours for a first confidential conversation.
Or directly: WhatsApp +971 545 995 343 · contact@africabusiness.club