WEST AFRICA INTEGRATION
& INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2026
Powering Regional Integration
Julius Maada Bio International
Conference Centre Sierra Leone
CONVENED BY:
H.E. Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
WAIIS AT A GLANCE
ABOUT WAIIS
West Africa’s Investment Agenda, Brought Together
West Africa is entering a new phase of economic integration, with a market of more than 450 million people, 4.7% regional growth and an investment pipeline of more than US$180 billion across four strategic pillars.
WAIIS brings together Heads of State, ministers, investors, development finance institutions, business leaders and project owners to connect regional priorities with capital, partnerships and investment-ready opportunities.
Convened under the leadership of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, WAIIS is designed to deliver outcomes beyond the Summit, with commitments tracked and projects advanced through the WAIIS Secretariat.
WHAT WAIIS DELIVERS
Political Access
Direct engagement with Heads of State, ministers and regional institutions.
Investment Opportunities
Priority projects and regional investment pipelines across the four pillars.
Capital Connections
Sovereign investors, DFIs, banks, funds and strategic partners.
Deal-making
Curated project presentations and investor meetings.
Measurable Follow-through
Commitments tracked through the WAIIS Investment Scorecard and annual ministerial reviews.
FOUR INVESTMENT PILLARS
POWER TO GROW
Energy Abundance and Green Industrialisation
Expanding regional electricity trade, transmission and clean generation to deliver abundant, competitive power for industry, create jobs and drive economic growth.
MINERALS TO INDUSTRY
Strategic Minerals and Natural Resource Development
Moving beyond raw mineral exports towards responsible exploration, processing and regional value chains that retain more value, create jobs and support industrial growth.
FOOD AT SCALE
Agribusiness and Food Systems Transformation
Mobilising capital across production, processing, storage, logistics and regional trade to strengthen food security and build competitive West African agribusiness value chains.
CONNECT TO COMPETE
Digital Transformation and Connectivity
Building the infrastructure, data systems and interoperable platforms required for connected markets, higher productivity, innovation and inclusive regional growth.
WAIIS DEAL ROOM
Where Projects Meet Capital
The WAIIS Deal Room connects selected projects with qualified investors, financial institutions, development partners and strategic operators.
Projects are prepared and matched in advance according to sector, development stage, financing requirement and investor interest.
PROGRAMME
From Political Mandate to Investment Decision
Pre-Summit Programme From 10 November
Policy preparation, sector dialogues, project development, investment engagement and Youth in Action programming in Freetown.
Apex Summit
17–18 November
Heads of State, private sector leaders, investors and institutions come together around the four investment pillars, Deal Room activity and commitments.
Heads of State Dialogues
Regional political mandate and leadership decisions.
Private Sector Sessions
Investors and business leaders putting commercial priorities directly before political leadership.
Pillar Sessions
Policy, capital and investment pipelines brought together.
Deal Room
Matched project and investor discussions.
Commitment Plenary
What moves forward and who owns the next action.
Youth in Action
Young West Africans bring questions, priorities and action plans into the Apex Summit.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
Advancing women’s economic participation and leadership across all four strategic pillars and expanding equitable access to opportunities created through regional integration.
SIERRA LEONE
Host of the Inaugural WAIIS
A country positioning itself at the intersection of West Africa’s political, investment and regional integration agenda.
A Platform for Investment
Highlighting Sierra Leone’s priority sectors, reform agenda and investment opportunities to regional and international capital.
A Gateway to Regional Opportunity
Connecting Sierra Leone’s national ambitions with wider West African markets, infrastructure and investment flows.
Host of the inaugural WAIIS
By convening the inaugural edition of the regional investment summit, Sierra Leone positions itself at the centre of West Africa’s economic diplomacy and sets a standard for future editions.
WHY PARTICIPATE OR SPONSOR
WAIIS is designed around investment, not visibility alone. It brings together political leadership, private capital, development finance and project owners to advance bankable opportunities, strategic partnerships and cross-border investment across West Africa.
Partners gain access to a politically anchored, deal-focused platform with structured Deal Rooms, high-level engagement and year-round follow-through beyond the Summit.
BECOME AN EXHIBITOR