Off the coast of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Island has been earmarked for an ambitious transformation: a new centre for international business and investment designed to rival cities like Singapore or Hong Kong. The BBC’s Ed Butler travels to the island to investigate the project and speaks to developer Siaka Stevens, who is leading the effort alongside supporters including film-star Idris Elba, about the vision and what it will take to deliver it. But how realistic is the ambition, and can it become more than a promise?
Ed Butler examines the practical steps required to create an international business hub in a country with limited prior experience in large-scale global finance projects. The narrative follows the political, logistical, and financial challenges from land-use planning and infrastructure financing to regulatory regimes that can attract foreign investment. Interviews with Stevens and Elba illuminate the high-level ambitions and the potential benefits for Sierra Leone’s economy, including job creation and technology transfer, while researchers and local residents weigh the risks of debt, environmental impact, and the time needed to reach global competitiveness. The episode also considers lessons from other regional hubs and how governance, transparency, and sustained policy support will determine whether Sherbro Island can attract the critical private capital and corporate partnerships required to turn a vision into a functioning market. The program frames the project as a long-term project with milestones that must be navigated through public–private collaboration, regulatory alignment, and regional integration in West Africa.
