Business owners, financial institutions and diaspora investors will gather in Freetown on 12 December 2026 for the Capital & Business Lab, a practical event focused on helping enterprises improve their operations and prepare for investment.
Organised by Connoisseur Consult Sierra Leone in partnership with the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, the event will take place at Lagoonda Resort, Aberdeen, starting at 10:00 a.m. Places are available for 120 participants.
Mahawa Kamara, founder of Connoisseur Consult Sierra Leone, said the initiative grew from her team’s work with more than 200 enterprises in Freetown, Bo and Makeni over the past two years.
She said many businesses were making sales and serving customers but struggled to keep clear financial records or explain how much they earned each month. Such gaps, she explained, could make it harder for banks and investors to assess their businesses.
The Lab will therefore focus on the practical systems enterprises need to manage funding and sustain growth.
“Moving beyond general discussions on capital availability, we focus squarely on establishing the internal operational conditions businesses need to absorb and sustain capital effectively,” Kamara said.
Sessions will cover access to funding, business registration, insurance, contracts and opportunities to enter wider markets. Participants will also examine how to separate personal and business finances, calculate actual profits and build businesses that depend less on the owner’s daily involvement.
The organisers are bringing together growing enterprises, banks, insurers, professional service providers, diaspora investors and returning professionals interested in doing business in Sierra Leone.
Sidi Saccoh will deliver the keynote address on reducing perceived risk when seeking investment. This will be followed by a panel discussion, “What Nobody Tells You,” exploring practical experiences of managing investment in Sierra Leone.
Participants will then take part in roundtable sessions covering three themes: Capital Gateways, Business Protection and Market Gateways. Using information from their own businesses, they will identify gaps and decide on a practical next step.
A networking lunch will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect with institutions and professionals who could support their growth.
The organisers also plan to follow participants’ progress through check-ins after six and twelve months. Findings from this follow-up will contribute to the Sierra Leone Business Health Report.
Registration costs NLe1,000 per seat for local delegates, with mobile money bookings available at beamsl.com/events/16.
Diaspora and international delegates will pay £40 per seat, with card payments available through the Connoisseur Consults website. Organisations requiring several seats or an invoice can contact the organisers directly.
Seats will be allocated in order of payment, and bookings will close once all 120 places are filled.
For further information, contact +232 78 798 967 or info@connoisseurconsults.com.
