Chief Minister Sengeh Clarifies ECOWAS Summit Spending Amid Public Debate

Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh has clarified that the widely discussed US$124 million associated with Sierra Leone’s hosting of the recent ECOWAS Mid-Year Statutory Meetings was not the cost of staging the event, but an investment in permanent national infrastructure.

Speaking at a government press conference held at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, Dr Sengeh, who served as National Coordinator for the ECOWAS summit, said the funding is being used to develop facilities that will serve the country long after the regional meetings have ended.

He explained that the investment covers the construction of a new international conference centre, a hotel, and presidential villas, all of which are intended to strengthen Sierra Leone’s capacity to host major international conferences, regional summits, and other high-profile national events. According to him, the infrastructure projects are expected to be completed by November 2026.