The US$75 million Kent Seaport which is part of the Kent–Banana Island Seaport Project and spearheaded by Sierra Leonean entrepreneur Mohamed Gento Kamara through the Gento Group of Companies, is steadily emerging as one of the country’s most ambitious indigenous private sector infrastructure investments. Once completed, the modern seaport is expected to transform the historic Kent and Banana Island area into a major maritime and logistics hub, improve cargo handling, create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, attract local and foreign investment, and stimulate economic growth. The project has also received Parliamentary backing and endorsements from several civil society organizations, with supporters describing it as a transformative national investment capable of significantly contributing to Sierra Leone’s long-term development.
The strategic importance of the project was further underscored on Saturday, 25 July 2026, when a high-level Government delegation led by Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh visited the construction site to assess the pace of work and reaffirm Government’s commitment to accelerating key national infrastructure projects. The delegation included Minister of Transport and Aviation, Alhaji Fanday Turay Esq., Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Reverend Kwame Yankson, and the Harbour Master of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), Captain Alpha Yayah Bangura.
The visit followed President Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s recent call for accelerated implementation of strategic development initiatives under his “Commitment to Transformation” agenda. According to the Chief Minister, the President specifically highlighted the Kent Port investment and encouraged him to inspect the project firsthand.
Speaking during the inspection, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh described the Kent Port project as a practical demonstration of how collaboration between Government and the private sector can translate development commitments into tangible results. He said the project has progressed from discussions held in his office to Cabinet approval, Parliamentary ratification and now active implementation.
“Earlier this past week, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio emphasized the need to accelerate delivery across all sectors. He spoke about the investment Mohamed Gento Kamara is undertaking at Kent and I promised to visit. Today, together with officials from the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority, we have come to see the progress firsthand,” the Chief Minister said.
Reflecting on the journey of the project, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh said he was delighted to witness an initiative that had evolved from an idea into a major national infrastructure investment.
“I am absolutely thrilled by this investment because it moved from an idea, to several meetings in and out of my office, to a Cabinet paper and now to reality. This is what we mean when we say together we will deliver,” he remarked.
Chief Executive Officer of the Gento Group of Companies, Mohamed Gento Kamara, disclosed that the project carries an estimated cost of US$75 million, of which the company has already invested US$30 million through commercial bank financing. He said an additional US$45 million is required to complete the development.
According to Gento Kamara, the Government of Sierra Leone holds a 10 percent equity stake in the project under the concession agreement and is therefore expected to contribute financially toward its implementation. He appealed to Government to provide its agreed financial support to enable completion of the first phase of the project, which is expected to become operational by December 2026.
He further revealed that the commercial loan secured by Gento Group carries an interest rate of 22 percent, placing enormous financial pressure on the company.
“We have taken substantial bank loans to bring this project this far, but the interest rates are very high. Financially, we are struggling, yet we continue because we believe in Sierra Leone,” he said.
As a local company executing one of Sierra Leone’s largest indigenous infrastructure investments, Gento Kamara appealed to the Government to engage the lending bank in an effort to secure a lower interest rate, arguing that such intervention would significantly reduce the financial burden on the project while accelerating construction.
He emphasized that Government’s financial participation would not be a grant but part of its obligations under the concession agreement and would help ensure the first operational phase is delivered on schedule.
“I feel proud as a Sierra Leonean to undertake this project. The construction work is already employing hundreds of young Sierra Leoneans and, upon completion, it will create even more employment opportunities. This port will contribute significantly to the industrialization of Sierra Leone,” he stated.
Gento Kamara disclosed that the project currently employs more than 600 workers, the majority of whom are Sierra Leoneans serving as engineers, technicians, designers and skilled construction workers. Although the project benefits from technical collaboration with Italian partners, he stressed that local professionals remain at the forefront of implementation.
He reiterated that the Kent Seaport is not merely a private investment but a strategic national development project that will strengthen Sierra Leone’s maritime infrastructure, facilitate trade, generate employment and increase Government revenue.
“The facility will not be fully completed by December, but we are targeting the arrival of the first vessel before the end of the year. That will happen if Government fulfills its side of the agreement,” he added.
Highlighting the country’s maritime potential, Gento Kamara said the Banana Island coastline possesses a natural depth of approximately 22 metres, making it one of the deepest natural harbours in West Africa.
He noted that countries such as Togo have successfully transformed their deep-water ports into major economic assets and expressed confidence that Sierra Leone could achieve similar success through strategic investment in its coastline.
Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, observed that the Kent Port project has become increasingly important as cargo volumes at the Port of Freetown have reportedly increased by more than 170 percent, creating growing congestion at the country’s principal seaport.
“Our success must not become our enemy. Expanding port infrastructure is essential to sustaining economic growth, improving trade efficiency and reducing congestion,” he said.
He disclosed that Government is also pursuing additional strategic maritime projects, including the Julius Maada Bio Fishing Port at Black Johnson and proposed mining ports, while ensuring that environmental protection remains a key consideration throughout implementation.
Minister of Transport and Aviation, Alhaji Fanday Turay Esq., recalled that the Kent Port project received Cabinet and Parliamentary approval in 2024 and expressed satisfaction with the remarkable progress achieved since construction commenced.
“I visited this site when implementation commenced last year and today’s visit has made me proud of the remarkable progress achieved,” the Minister said.
He assured the developers that Government would continue engaging the Ministry of Finance to fulfill its obligations under the concession agreement.
“We have all seen the employment opportunities this project has created for our young people. Our responsibility now is to ensure Government delivers the agreed support so that the project can move forward as planned,” he emphasized.
The Minister added that once operational, the Kent Port will significantly reduce congestion at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay by diverting a substantial number of vessels currently calling at the Port of Freetown. He also described Banana Island as one of the deepest natural coastal locations in the West African sub-region, saying its future development could position Sierra Leone as a leading maritime and logistics hub.
Harbour Master of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority, Captain Alpha Yayah Bangura, said the Authority has remained actively involved in the project since construction began and welcomed the visit by senior Government officials.
He emphasized that Sierra Leone should diversify its economy by harnessing the enormous opportunities presented by the blue economy rather than relying primarily on mineral resources.
Captain Alpha Yayah Bangura disclosed that between 30 and 35 percent of containers handled at the Port of Freetown are destined for industrial and commercial centres in rural Sierra Leone, creating significant logistical challenges because of limited road infrastructure.
He explained that the Kent Port, together with the proposed bypass linking Kent to Songo and Newton, will significantly improve cargo movement, reduce vessel waiting times and enhance the efficiency of Sierra Leone’s maritime transport system.
The high-level inspection concluded with a guided tour of the ongoing construction works, during which Government officials expressed confidence that the Kent Seaport Project will become a transformative national asset capable of strengthening maritime infrastructure, boosting trade, attracting investment, creating employment and accelerating Sierra Leone’s long-term economic development. Gento Group, meanwhile, renewed its appeal for Government to fulfill its financial obligations under the concession agreement and assist in reducing the high commercial lending costs to ensure that the first phase of the project becomes operational by December 2026.
