The Government of Sierra Leone, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africell and the University of Sierra Leone, has officially launched UniPod Sierra Leone, a state-of-the-art innovation hub aimed at empowering young innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers to develop technology-driven solutions to national challenges.
The facility, located at Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone, on Mount Aureol, was officially inaugurated on Thursday, July 9, 2026, by the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, in the presence of senior Government officials, development partners, private sector representatives, academics and young innovators.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh described UniPod as more than just a modern building, saying it represents a new way of thinking that places creativity, collaboration and technology at the centre of Sierra Leone’s development agenda.
“The answer to Sierra Leone’s problems is in our hands, in our thinking and in the activities that we will do in this building and outside this building,” he stated.
The Chief Minister said Sierra Leone’s greatest challenge is not a lack of connectivity or supportive policies, but the need to accelerate the use of existing opportunities to produce practical solutions that improve people’s lives. He highlighted the Government’s investments in digital infrastructure, financial inclusion and open-source technologies, alongside strategic partnerships with UNDP, Africell and the University of Sierra Leone, as creating an enabling environment for innovation.
He encouraged students, entrepreneurs and researchers to fully utilize the UniPod Centre to transform ideas into practical innovations capable of creating jobs, solving national problems and contributing to economic growth. He also stressed that technological advancement must be inclusive and accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities and those with limited opportunities.
“Technology built without purpose will not serve us,” Dr. David Moinina Sengeh cautioned, emphasizing that innovation should improve the lives of all Sierra Leoneans.
Earlier, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Fourah Bay College, Professor Andrew Baio, described the establishment of UniPod Sierra Leone as a landmark achievement for higher education and national development.
He said the centre is more than a facility equipped with modern technology, describing it as a national innovation platform where students, researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators from across Sierra Leone can collaborate to design, prototype and develop solutions to real-world challenges.
Professor Andrew Baio commended the collaboration between the Government of Sierra Leone, UNDP, Africell and the University of Sierra Leone for making the project a reality, noting that strong partnerships remain essential to advancing research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Although the centre is hosted at Fourah Bay College, he explained that UniPod Sierra Leone is intended to serve innovators from every part of the country.
UNDP Resident Representative in Sierra Leone, Fredrick Ampiah, said the launch reflects the growing importance of innovation, creativity and knowledge as key drivers of economic transformation.
He observed that global competitiveness is increasingly determined by ideas rather than natural resources alone and noted that innovation involves finding new ways to solve problems and convert local challenges into opportunities.
According to him, UniPod will provide opportunities for digital skills development, entrepreneurship, content creation, business incubation and technological experimentation, enabling young people to build businesses and generate sustainable incomes.
“Innovation is not just coding or artificial intelligence; it is the discipline to solve problems differently,” Fredrick Ampiah said.
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Salima Bah, described the UniPod as an important addition to Sierra Leone’s growing innovation ecosystem, particularly within Fourah Bay College, which already hosts several technology-driven initiatives.
She encouraged the Management of the centre to build partnerships with innovation hubs across the country to strengthen collaboration and create pathways for ideas to progress from development to commercialization.
The Minister also underscored the need to establish effective systems for protecting the intellectual property generated through innovations developed at the facility.
Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, said the initiative supports the Government’s Human Capital Development agenda by providing students and researchers with opportunities to apply academic knowledge to solving real societal problems.
She noted that universities must evolve beyond institutions that simply transfer knowledge to becoming centres where ideas are created, tested and transformed into practical innovations.
Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie commended UNDP, Africell, the Africell Impact Foundation and the University of Sierra Leone for their collaboration in establishing the UniPod Centre and called for similar innovation hubs to be expanded to other parts of the country through satellite facilities.
Representing Africell Chief Executive Officer, Shadi Gerjawi, Afrimoney Chief Executive Officer, Martison Obeng-Agyei, reaffirmed Africell’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s digital transformation through continued investments in education, technology and innovation.
He said Africell, through the Africell Impact Foundation, partnered with UNDP and the University of Sierra Leone to establish the innovation hub to provide young people with the tools, mentorship and opportunities required to develop successful businesses.
Martison Obeng-Agyei announced that students would receive NFC-enabled identification cards to facilitate digital access to the UniPod Centre and revealed plans to expand high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity across sections of Fourah Bay College.
He encouraged students to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the facility, describing it as a place where ideas can be transformed into innovative products and sustainable enterprises.
The UniPod Sierra Leone features maker and design spaces, digital fabrication and prototyping laboratories, business incubation services, mentorship programmes and technology transfer opportunities designed to help young innovators transform creative ideas into commercially viable enterprises.
The launch concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a guided tour of the innovation hub and an exhibition showcasing technological innovations and entrepreneurial products developed by Sierra Leonean innovators.
