October 17, 2025 , Guma Building, Lamina Sankoh Street – Chief Minister of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, made a surprise visit to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Esq., in Freetown.
The visit provided an opportunity to assess ongoing initiatives in intellectual property, trade, and investment, in line with the government’s agenda under President Julius Maada Bio to strengthen regulatory stability, support economic growth, and enhance delivery across critical sectors.
Addressing staff and officials, Dr. Sengeh described the visit as “a random surprise,” emphasizing the importance of monitoring progress in key areas. “With the focus on creative industries and trade, it is important to understand where we are, the plans in place, and how we can further support investment. Stability of regulations is key, and every investor we engage with prioritizes this,” he said.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Esq., welcomed the Chief Minister and affirmed the productivity of the discussions. “This has been one of the most productive trips since I joined government. We have made significant progress, particularly on copyright legislation, inter-ministerial coordination, and support for creative industries,” he noted.
The discussions highlighted ongoing work to amend copyright laws and draft related regulations, which have been submitted to Parliament. An inter-ministerial group has been actively involved, including the Offices of the Attorney-General, Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and Ministry of Tourism & Cultural Affairs (MTCA).
Recent initiatives include consultations with creatives, development of position papers, and collaborative engagements with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These efforts aim to build capacity for lawyers, regulators, and creative professionals, ensuring effective intellectual property enforcement and growth of the creative economy.
On trade and industry, Dr. Sengeh reviewed ongoing collaboration with the National Investment Board (NIB), including World Bank–supported projects designed to strengthen company registration laws and improve the investment climate. This aligns with the government’s agenda to create a stable, predictable regulatory environment that encourages both domestic and foreign investment.
The surprise visit underscored the government’s commitment to delivery, regulatory certainty, and sectoral support, reflecting President Bio’s broader vision of economic diversification, creative industry growth, and investor confidence. Officials agreed to continue inter-ministerial coordination, capacity-building, and stakeholder engagement to ensure sustained progress in intellectual property and trade sectors.
