By Derick Pratt
A senior Sierra Leone government official has urged young innovators and entrepreneurs to view climate change as a driver of economic opportunity rather than solely an environmental challenge.
Fuad Yusuf-Bangura, Director of Climate Change at the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF), made the call during a keynote address at Freetown Innovation Week.
Speaking under the theme “Climate Innovation and Sustainable Cities,” Yusuf-Bangura said Sierra Leone must shift its approach to climate change to unlock investment and business potential.
“For too long, climate change has been discussed primarily as an environmental problem,” he said. “The most important question for Sierra Leone today is this: Can climate challenges become investment opportunities? I believe they can.”
Addressing investors, researchers and development partners, he highlighted key sectors where climate-related challenges could spur innovation, including flood management, waste recycling and renewable energy.
Seasonal flooding in Freetown, he said, presents opportunities for developing flood prediction systems and climate risk analytics, while waste management could drive growth in recycling and circular economy enterprises. He added that Sierra Leone’s energy deficit could attract investment in solar mini-grids and other clean energy solutions.
Yusuf-Bangura said the country’s natural resources, ecosystem restoration potential, expanding digital infrastructure and youthful population position it to benefit from the global shift toward green economies.
“Climate resilience and economic growth are no longer separate conversations,” he said. “They are now the same conversation.”
He outlined priorities including strengthening climate innovation ecosystems, improving access to finance for green businesses, digitising urban management systems and equipping young people with skills for emerging green jobs.
“The future will belong to those who innovate, build, and transform,” he added.
