Institute of Directors Sierra Leone Certifies 15 in Governance Drive

The Institute of Directors Sierra Leone has certified 15 Directors and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture as part of a renewed focus on professional directorship and corporate governance.

The Institute’s Certification and Rebirth Ceremony was held on 25 September 2026 at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. It brought together representatives of the public and private sectors, professional institutions and the business community.

Focus on professional leadership

The 15 Directors received their certificates after completing a corporate governance training programme. Speaking on behalf of Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Minister of Trade Alpha Ibrahim Sesay said the certificates represented both the completion of professional training and a responsibility to uphold higher standards of accountability and integrity.

Sesay also said 10 of the 15 newly certified Directors were women. He described the Institute’s rebirth as an important milestone for the private sector and national development.

Kobi Walker, Chairman of the Rebirth and Certification Committee, said the event represented a new phase for the Institute. He said its mandate included promoting sound leadership, ethical governance, professional excellence and institutional accountability.

“The occasion should not be regarded as an end but as a new beginning,” Walker said, while calling for stronger collaboration and renewed determination to develop the Institute.

Interim President Amy E. Greene said the rebirth created an opportunity to recognize the newly certified Directors and reinforce the Institute’s role in promoting leadership, professional integrity, accountability and responsible governance. She also highlighted the Institute’s election to the African Corporate Governance Network Board, saying it provided an opportunity for Sierra Leone to contribute to corporate governance efforts across Africa.

Governance and private-sector development

Dr. Modupeh Taylor-Pearce, Vice President 1 of the Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber believed that certification should eventually become mandatory for individuals nominated to serve on company Boards.

She also linked investment readiness and access to regulated capital markets to the quality of governance within institutions, in the context of private-sector-led economic growth.

Fatima Mahawa Sandi, Deputy Executive Director of the National Investment Board, said private-sector development, investment promotion and participation in regional and international markets required credible institutions, ethical leadership and capable Directors. She added that governance practices, institutional quality and predictability were important considerations for investors when making investment decisions.

Sandi also announced that the National Investment Board planned to launch an online business registration system in November 2026. The Board called for collaboration with the Institute on corporate governance training, investor relations, ethics, Board development and policy dialogue.

It further encouraged the Institute to provide evidence-based recommendations, engage Government early in policymaking and identify regulatory and administrative obstacles affecting businesses.

Boards urged to address emerging risks

In his keynote address, Dr. Ibrahim Stevens, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, said good corporate governance was fundamental to sustainable economic growth, institutional resilience and national development.

Stevens said strong Boards provide strategic direction, maintain effective oversight, challenge Management and help institutions operate sustainably. He urged Directors to look beyond historical financial performance and pay closer attention to inflation, exchange-rate movements, interest rates, technology, cybersecurity and wider economic developments.

“Resilience begins in the Boardroom,” Stevens said, encouraging Directors to understand institutional risks, challenge Management constructively and maintain a long-term perspective.

Stevens also referred to the Bank of Sierra Leone’s Corporate Governance Guidelines for commercial banks and financial holding companies, which became effective in January 2024. He said the guidelines strengthened expectations concerning Board composition, competence, independence, committees and controlled functions.

The ceremony concluded with calls for stronger corporate governance, professional directorship and ethical leadership. Sesay said the challenge was to move beyond the principles contained in the National Corporate Governance Code, launched in January 2019, and make them part of the daily conduct of institutions.