Invest Salone, with support from the United Kingdom Government and in collaboration with British International Investment (BII) through the Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA), has officially launched a suite of investment readiness resources aimed at helping Sierra Leonean Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) attract investment and achieve sustainable business growth.
The newly launched resources include the Sierra Leone Investment Toolkit, an Investment Readiness Scorecard and a Business Advisor Directory, all designed to equip businesses with practical guidance to improve their investment readiness while strengthening the country’s private sector ecosystem.
The initiative comes at a time when Sierra Leone is intensifying efforts to attract greater domestic and foreign investment. While access to finance remains a major challenge for many businesses, stakeholders say many SMEs also struggle to secure funding because they lack the governance structures, financial management systems, operational capacity and responsible business practices that investors typically require.
The centrepiece of the initiative is the Investment Readiness Scorecard, a free and anonymous online self-assessment tool that allows businesses to evaluate their preparedness for investment. After completing the assessment, businesses are categorized into one of three investment readiness stages and receive tailored recommendations highlighting the areas they need to strengthen to improve their investment prospects.
According to the developers, the scorecard functions solely as a diagnostic tool and does not collect or store users’ personal data.
Complementing the scorecard is the Sierra Leone Investment Toolkit, which provides practical guidance on the key areas investors examine before committing capital. Those include corporate governance, financial management, business strategy, operational systems, environmental and social management, as well as legal and regulatory compliance. Rather than serving as an investor assessment, the toolkit is intended to help businesses understand investor expectations and build stronger internal systems that support long-term growth.
The third resource, the Business Advisor Directory, offers businesses a practical reference point for identifying professional service providers operating in Sierra Leone who can provide specialized support during their investment journey. While the directory highlights available expertise, organizers emphasized that it does not constitute an endorsement of any listed provider.
Together, the three resources provide businesses with a structured pathway to assess their current position, identify operational gaps, strengthen internal systems and improve their overall attractiveness to potential investors. The resources are also expected to benefit transaction advisers, business development service providers and organisations working to strengthen Sierra Leone’s private sector.
The resources were developed following consultations and workshops with Sierra Leonean SMEs to ensure they reflect the practical challenges businesses face while seeking investment. The programme also builds upon lessons learned from similar investment readiness initiatives implemented across other frontier markets while tailoring the content specifically to Sierra Leone’s business environment.
Speaking on the launch, Pooja Melwani of Invest Salone said every business is at a different stage of its investment journey, noting that understanding a company’s current position is the first step toward becoming investment ready.
She explained that the resources enable businesses to assess their strengths, identify weaknesses and access practical guidance to improve their investment proposition.
“As our programme comes to a close this year, we are pleased to leave behind a lasting resource that will continue supporting Sierra Leonean businesses on their journey to attracting investment,” she stated.
Also speaking, Alex Kucharski, Director of Market Creation at BII Plus, said the three resources will help businesses better understand their readiness for investment, identify suitable investors and connect with local advisory services capable of supporting their growth.
He said BII was pleased to collaborate with Invest Salone through the ARIA platform to strengthen Sierra Leone’s investment ecosystem, describing the initiative as part of the institution’s broader commitment to supporting frontier markets through practical market creation and technical assistance that improve conditions for private investment.
The newly launched Investment Toolkit, Investment Readiness Scorecard and Business Advisor Directory are now publicly available through the Invest Salone website, providing Sierra Leonean businesses with accessible digital tools to strengthen their operations, meet investor expectations and position themselves for future investment opportunities.
Invest Salone is a UK-funded private sector development programme focused on increasing investment, supporting export growth and addressing barriers that hinder business expansion in Sierra Leone. British International Investment serves as the United Kingdom’s development finance institution and impact investor, supporting businesses across developing countries to promote economic growth, reduce poverty and accelerate climate action.
The Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA), which supports the initiative, operates across seven African frontier markets, including Sierra Leone, and is funded by British International Investment, FMO and Proparco to help mobilize investment and strengthen local business ecosystems.
