President Dr Julius Maada Bio has become the first holder of the Flot Ultra Black Card, a Visa card introduced through a partnership between Sierra Leonean financial technology platform Flot and Zenith Bank Sierra Leone.
The Flot team presented Card No. 001 to President Bio at State House in Freetown on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, ahead of the official launch of the flot.ai platform.
The presentation represented a major milestone for the homegrown financial technology company, which seeks to connect Sierra Leoneans to the international financial system through modern payment and travel services.
According to the company, the Flot card will enable Sierra Leoneans to travel without carrying large amounts of physical cash, providing a safer and more convenient way to make payments anywhere Visa cards are accepted.
The initiative is also expected to ease some of the pressure on the Government and commercial banks associated with the disbursement of foreign currency to travellers.
During the presentation, discussions also focused on Flot’s travel services, which are designed to allow customers to search, book and pay for international flights through the company’s digital platform.
President Bio welcomed the initiative, noting its potential to make Freetown International Airport a more competitive gateway for Sierra Leonean travellers. He said affordable and convenient travel options could encourage more citizens to depart from Sierra Leone instead of using longer and potentially riskier alternative routes.
Flot representatives disclosed that a flight to China, which previously cost travellers about $2,800, could now be accessed for approximately $1,600 through its travel service. The company said the reduction could save traders and other business travellers about $1,200 on one of Sierra Leone’s important commercial routes.
“Financial innovation of this kind speaks directly to our vision for Sierra Leone’s place in the world,” President Bio said.
“When our citizens can travel cashless, transact globally and fly affordably from their own airport, we strengthen not only their opportunities but our nation’s competitiveness. I commend Flot and Zenith Bank for building this here for Sierra Leoneans.”
Chief Executive Officer of Open Banking Hub, the company behind Flot, David Kpakima, described the presentation of Card No. 001 to President Bio as a proud moment for the institution.
“Flot was built on a simple conviction: that Sierra Leoneans deserve the same ease, dignity and access in managing their money as anyone else in the world,” Kpakima stated.
“From cashless travel to more affordable routes for our business community, this is only the beginning, and the best is yet to come.”
Flot, Zenith Bank Sierra Leone and Visa reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining high service standards and placing customer experience at the centre of efforts to expand financial opportunities for Sierra Leoneans.
Operated by Open Hubb (SL) Limited, Flot is designed to integrate financial services, international travel and commercial transactions on one platform. Through Flot Travel, customers will be able to search, book and pay for flights within the application while using Visa cards for purchases at home and abroad.
The wider platform is also expected to connect mobile money services, bank accounts and merchant-payment systems, making it easier for individuals and businesses to manage their finances and conduct cross-border transactions.
Details of the full launch will be announced later. More information is available at www.flotme.ai.
