On June 12, 2025, Dr. Abdulsalam Sikiru Abidemi, the newly appointed Director General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), met with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura. The meeting was attended by several officials including Deputy Minister II Mr. Bockari Kalokoh, Financial Secretary Mr. Matthew Dingie, Director of Macro Fiscal Policy Division Dr. Samuel Bonzu, and Technical Adviser to the Minister Dr. Franklin Sisabu Bendu. Accompanying Dr. Abidemi was Mr. Soulay Mannah, Director of Legal Services at WAMI.
The Minister welcomed Dr. Abidemi and congratulated him on his new role. He emphasized the importance of WAMI’s technical work in integrating the financial infrastructure within the West African Monetary Zone and provided an update on Sierra Leone’s macroeconomic situation for the first half of 2025, highlighting ongoing fiscal discipline.
Dr. Abidemi expressed gratitude for the Minister’s leadership as Chairman and praised improvements in key macroeconomic indicators such as inflation and interest rates.
Dr. Abidemi also shared updates on WAMI’s Work Programme, which includes establishing an investment trade forum, a monetary policy forum, and transforming WAMI into a Commission. He requested that Sierra Leone host virtual meetings of the Technical Committee and Convergence Council in August 2025 due to Liberia’s inability to do so.
The Minister committed to supporting WAMI and agreed to host these upcoming virtual meetings.