The Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference proudly announces Leonoil Limited (Leonco) as the Headline Sponsor of this highly anticipated event. The conference aims to engage the diaspora beyond remittance and serves as the largest business gathering of Sierra Leonean and American leaders, policymakers, and investors in North America.

“We are delighted to have the invaluable support of Leonoil as the Headline Sponsor of this conference, aimed at harnessing Diaspora investment and impact,” said Vickie Remoe, CEO of West African digital communications leader VR&C Marketing.
Remoe is also the founder of Make Sierra Leone Famous, the DMV-based firm hosting the conference.

“As the largest locally-owned company, headed by Sierra Leonean-American business leader Ibrahim Cole, Leonoil is a shining example of Sierra Leonean brilliance,” said Remoe.

“For over three decades, they’ve poured into local staff, ensuring they have world-class skills and led and expanded the country’s oil and gas sector with significant infrastructure investments. They broke new ground this year, entering the mining sector as the first Sierra Leonean owner of the world’s largest Rutile producer.”
Leonoil Owns The World’s Largest Rutile Company

Leonoil made history in August by acquiring Sierra Rutile, the world’s largest rutile producer.

Since its founding in 1971, Sierra Rutile has been primarily owned by foreign nationals. Australians have held ownership for the past six years.
This change to local ownership marked a monumental achievement for Sierra Leone and the company. Ibrahim Cole, Managing Director of Leonoil, announced the ownership shift on LinkedIn and encouraged government partnership.

“Today is a historic day for Sierra Leone as Leonoil Company Limited has completed the acquisition of a publicly traded company with a local asset holding over 50 years of mining operations… We look forward to establishing a productive partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and all relevant stakeholders to achieve our shared goals and objectives,” he said.

Who is Leonoil and What Do They Do?
Leonoil, established in 1994, is wholly owned by Sierra Leoneans. The company specializes in marketing automotive gas oil, petroleum motor spirit, and lubricants.

The company owns and operates twenty-four gas station outlets across Sierra Leone. It manages the largest, most modern terminal in Sierra Leone, which ranks amongst the best in the sub-region. They have an impressive list of clients, including the World Bank, LEOCEM, Seawright Mining Company, Meya Mining, and FG Gold.

Leonoil is supporting the conference to bridge the human capital gap in Sierra Leone. They aim to encourage diaspora members to invest directly in the country.

“At Leonoil, our success is intricately tied to the nation’s progress. We urge the diaspora to look beyond the challenges and focus on the abundant opportunities within Sierra Leone. Together, we can drive impactful change for Sierra Leone’s future. This commitment to progress inspires hope and optimism for the country’s future,” said Cole.

What to Expect at SLDIC 2024
The Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference (SLDIC) returns on Saturday, October 19th, 2024, at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The one-day event will gather 200 leaders in business, investing, finance, policy, and development to advance Sierra Leone’s economic growth. It will be the largest gathering of Sierra Leonean-American entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers in North America.

Take advantage of the chance to forge valuable connections at the conference! This event offers a unique opportunity to network with fellow investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.

Visit www.MakeSierraLeoneFamous.com to secure your tickets for in-person attendance. If you can’t join physically, you can get a virtual pass for full access to the livestream.
You can ask questions through the live chat during the Q&A sessions. The livestream link will be sent 72 hours before the event.