On April 30th, 2025, winners of the ILO Opportunity Salone Business Competition from the Cassava Flour and Palm Kernel value chains expressed their gratitude to the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) and the International Labour Organisation for awarding them funding to boost their businesses.

It could be recalled that in 2023, the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), held the ILO Opportunity Salone Business Competition across four districts of Bo, Kenema, Bombali, and Port-Loko, with finalists advancing to a national level in Freetown to receive capital support. The project, part of the EU-funded Jobs and Growth Programme, supported small businesses producing beauty products from palm kernel oil and those making bread, pastries, and confectioneries using cassava flour. To assess its impact, SLLCA hosted a press briefing on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at the Miatta Conference, Youyi Building in Freetown where beneficiaries shared success stories highlighting how the initiative transformed their businesses.

Explaining the benefits of the ILO Opportunity Salone project, MUSTAPHA Bayoh, representing Sierra Soap Factory, said that they employed persons with disabilities in Bombali district and trained them on how to use palm kernel to produce soap. He said

He disclosed that ILO has approved the sum of Le 452,000 through the support of SLLCA for them to expand their business, noting that this funding will be used to improve on our packaging, buy new equipment and create more jobs opportunities for the youths in Bombali district.

He said that expanding their business will create employment for local businesses within the supply chain thereby enabling Sierra Leonean businesses to take ownership of the economy.

He disclosed that through Local Content Agency, their product is currently available in the Made in Sierra Leone shelves created in the supermarkets in Freetown. He appealed to the Agency to rollout that initiative so that their soap product will be available across the country.

Salamatu Thullah, CEO of Dim-Din Agro Company in PortLoko, a company that comprises group of women in agriculture, uses cassava flour to produce Bread, Pastry and Confectioneries.

She explained that after winning the business competition organized by SLLCA in partnership with ILO, they were asked to pitch a business, disclosing that ILO has approved a budget of Le 250, 000.

She said that the money will be used to buy equipment and employ more staff.

She said Local Content Agency built their capacity in packaging, marketing and customer relations which has added value to their business.  

Morlu T. Brewah, the Chief of Operations of SLLCA disclosed that this is part of the Agency’s strives to build business linkages and create friendly investment climate, noting that the friendly investment climate is as a reason of the political will created by President Bio. He admonished the local entrepreneurs to make good use of the money, noting that some of the monies will come by installments.