President Bio and West African Leaders Inaugurate Conference Centre and ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi
By: Alhaji A. Barrie
Lungi, Sierra Leone – President Julius Maada Bio joined by Heads of State from The Gambia, Senegal, and Cabo Verde to inaugurate the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, in what officials described as a landmark step for regional integration.
The four leaders jointly cut the ribbon to officially open the two facilities, both located within the Lungi corridor. The ceremony marks the operational launch of infrastructure intended to strengthen ECOWAS capacity and elevate Sierra Leone’s profile as a venue for international engagement.
Speaking at the event, President Bio said the projects reflect both national progress and regional solidarity.
“With great pride in Sierra Leone’s achievements and confidence in our community’s future, my brothers, Heads of State from Gambia, Senegal, and Cabo Verde, and I had the honor of commissioning the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi,” President Bio stated.
“We have enhanced ECOWAS’s capacities and reaffirmed our shared belief that collective effort leads to shared success.”
The President also underscored the economic rationale behind the conference centre. He said it is part of government’s strategy to position Sierra Leone as a preferred destination for regional summits, diplomatic meetings, investment forums and exhibitions.
“Every international conference hosted here will generate revenue for our hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tourism enterprises and small businesses,” Bio said. “It sends a powerful message abroad: Sierra Leone is ready for business and ready to host the world.”
The Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre will host high-level meetings and large-scale events. The ECOWAS Logistics Depot will serve as a strategic warehouse for peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster response supplies.
With direct access to Lungi International Airport and seaport routes, officials say the depot will improve ECOWAS deployment times across West Africa. Government also projects job creation in hospitality, transport and services, with several ECOWAS meetings already slated for Sierra Leone later this year.
Leaders of the visiting delegations described the commissioning as a demonstration of ECOWAS unity and a practical investment in the bloc’s operational readiness.
