Following an intensive period of technical capacity building training, mentorship, and coaching provided to entrepreneurs in two key value chains last year, a team headed by the Director General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), Mr. Fodeba Daboh in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), held a two-day Pitching event for sixteen (16) local businesses in Bo and Bombali districts.
The pitching exercise which started on Wednesday, February 18th, 2026 and ended on Friday, February 20th, 2026 is part of the Phase Two of the ILO Opportunity Salone European Union (EU) funded project, titled: “Empowering Local Businesses to Improve Product Quality and Service Delivery in Sierra Leone”. The project aimed at strengthening, mentoring and coaching of local entrepreneurs on business growth in the cassava flour and the palm kernel oil value chains. The event brought together stakeholders from the District Councils, Sierra Leone Pharmacy Board, Sierra Leone National Bakers Union, ILO, and the Local Entrepreneurs, and others.
This pitching event aimed at identifying businesses that have gained positive impacts on business growth from the previous capacity training and mentoring they received from the industrial experts in the two value chains. The local businesses that participated in the pitching events are: The Holy Ghost, Augusta’s Kitchen, The Joshua Generation, God Will Soap, Hawane Soap, TMS and Hawa Investment and Akim Soap Making Cooperation in Bo district, and in Bombali district we have: Cassavity, Quedonoya Investment, Conteh Industries, Save Life Agro Farming Business, Ends Bright Ltd, HYGOs, Bee’s Agric Investment, Kalump Women Empowerment Agric Business and Spring Blessed Bakery.
The Judges which were selected from various sectors of business enterprise and development specialists are: Madam Mary Alpha – Consultant from the Rural Farmer Radio, and Founder and CEO of Tok Farm, Mr. Abu Bakarr Bah Esq, Secretary General of the Sierra Leone National Bakers Union, and the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, amongst others.
In his opening statement, the Director General of the Agency, Mr. Fodeba Daboh, emphasized the importance of competitiveness for local businesses, describing them as engines of economic growth. He encouraged entrepreneurs to strive for excellence in order to take advantage of opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), warning that failure to maintain quality and competitiveness could render local markets vulnerable and become a dumping ground for substandard goods.
Mr. Daboh reiterated that SLLCA remains committed to supporting local businesses and clarified misconceptions surrounding the project’s implementation funds. He explained that the Agency does not receive direct cash disbursements from the ILO; rather, it serves as a facilitator and matchmaker, identifying eligible local businesses in accordance with ILO project guidelines.
“The support provided under the project is largely in-kind rather than cash-based,” he emphasized.
In their presentations, the Local entrepreneurs showcased the knowledge they have acquired in their previous capacity training and mentorship received from the technical experts.
The Judges were pleased with the presentations made by the entrepreneurs, and encouraged entrepreneurs to uphold quality standards and maintain competitiveness, noting that adherence to best practices will position them to succeed not only locally but also in regional and international markets.
Selected businesses will undergo certification following this pitching exercise, after which, the SLLCA will recommend those businesses to ILO for inclusion in business incubator programs designed to enhance further support and growth opportunities.
