By Chika Okeke
The Afreximbank has proposed US$150 million funding to support the development of the first large-scale commercial aquaculture platform in Sierra Leone.
This was revealed at a high-level meeting between Afreximbank officials and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources
The intervention is part of a broader strategy to transform the country’s agricultural and economic sectors, just as the investment is expected to fund the entire fish-farming supply chain while creating jobs and boosting food security.
It aims to strengthen the entire aquaculture value chain – from hatcheries and feed production to processing, cold chain infrastructure, and skills development – supporting food security, job creation, and the industrialisation of Sierra Leone’s fisheries sector.
Managing Director of Human Resources, Afreximbank, Mr. Stephen Tio Kauma, who received Sierra Leone’s delegation said that the bank remains committed to financing transformative projects that expand productive capacity and drive sustainable economic growth across Africa.
Given its commitment to education, the Afreximbank Academy, AFRACAD, has achieved a major milestone with the full accreditation of its programmes by MissouriState University, MSU, facilitated through MSU’s Middle East representative and AFRACAD’s partner, IBDL Learning Group.
The accreditation strengthens AFRACAD’s ability to deliver globally recognised learning pathways that equip professionals, entrepreneurs, businesses, and public institutions with the knowledge and skills to advance industrialisation, regional integration, and economic transformation across Africa.
Through the partnership, AFRACAD will expand access to professional certification programmes, executive masterclasses, trade and e-commerce bootcamps, and digital learning initiatives that are developing Africa’s next generation of trade and business leaders.
Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Stephen Tio Kauma stated that the accreditation reflected the Bank’s continued investment in building the talent and institutional capacity needed to accelerate Africa’s development.
By combining Afreximbank’s trade expertise with IBDL’s global learning capabilities and Missouri State University’s academic excellence, AFRACAD is strengthening the human capital that will help unlock the full potential of the AfCFTA and build a more competitive Global Africa.
