Invest back home in Sierra Leone from the UK, with a team on the ground

If you live in the UK and want to invest back home in Sierra Leone, SLONEC can help. You contract with SLONEC Advisory in London, and our own team in Freetown registers the business, sets up a clear money trail and keeps it compliant with tax and payroll rules. We do not give regulated investment advice.

Why do diaspora investments go wrong?

Most problems are practical, not commercial. Money is sent to a relative’s personal account with no record of what it was for. A business is never formally registered, so it cannot open a bank account or win contracts. Tax and NASSIT are not filed, and penalties build up. Land is bought without proper checks. And the investor, thousands of miles away, has no reliable reports.

None of this needs to happen. With the right structure, records and a trusted team on the ground, you can invest back home with confidence and see what is happening to your money.

Can I contract through a UK entity?

Yes. You sign your contract with SLONEC Advisory Group Ltd, registered in England and Wales with its office at Level 37, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London. You deal with one point of contact in the UK, in your time zone, and the in-country work is carried out by SLONEC’s own team at 1 Hannah Benka-Coker Street, Freetown. See Route into Africa for how this works.

Your Sierra Leone business itself is normally a company registered in Sierra Leone. You can own it directly, or through another structure, and we explain the options and their tax effects before you decide.

How do I get money in safely?

Keep a clear trail from the start:

send money through banks or licensed money transfer operators, not cash or informal routes
pay into a bank account in the name of the business, not a personal account
use a reference that says what the payment is, for example “share capital” or “shareholder loan”
keep a written loan agreement if you lend money to the business

This record protects you in a dispute, shows where the funds came from and supports your right to take profits and capital out later.

How do I get profits out?

The National Investment Board Act 2022 gives investors the right to transfer dividends or profits (net of taxes), loan repayments and sale proceeds through official channels in any convertible currency. Before money leaves, tax is withheld: withholding tax on dividends and on interest paid to non-residents is 20% under the Finance Act 2026. Repaying the original capital of a shareholder loan is not income, so keep the loan agreement and bank records that show the money came in.

If you live in the UK, income from Sierra Leone usually has to be reported at home too, with credit for Sierra Leone tax already paid. A UK and Sierra Leone double taxation arrangement is listed as in force by HMRC. We work with UK advisers so both sides fit together.

Which Sierra Leone taxes will my business pay?

The main ones for a small or medium business are:

company income tax at 30% of taxable profit, with a minimum alternate tax of 2% of turnover that does not apply in the first three years after incorporation
GST at 15% once turnover passes the registration threshold of NLe500,000
withholding tax on rent at 15%
PAYE and NASSIT for any employees

Read our tax compliance page for more.

Who keeps the business compliant on the ground?

We do. Once you are set up, our Freetown team can:

keep the books and prepare annual accounts
file monthly PAYE, NASSIT and GST returns, and annual tax returns
run payroll for your staff
keep company records and filings up to date
support audit preparation and internal controls
send you regular reports in the UK, so you can see how the business is doing

If you need people, we can recruit them, and employ them for you through our employer of record support until your business is ready.

What do you not do?

We do not give regulated investment advice, and we do not pick investments for you. We help you set up and run your chosen business properly, and point out the tax and compliance consequences of the options. Where a matter needs a lawyer or another regulated specialist, we coordinate properly authorised partners.

Frequently asked questions

I live in the UK and want to invest back home in Sierra Leone. Who can help?

SLONEC Advisory in London. You contract with us in the UK, and our own team in Freetown registers the business, sets up a clear money trail for the funds you send, keeps the books, files tax, payroll and NASSIT returns, and sends you regular reports. We do not give regulated investment advice.

Can I start a business in Sierra Leone while living in the UK?

Yes. You contract with SLONEC Advisory in London and our Freetown team handles registration, tax, payroll and compliance on the ground.

Do I need to travel to Sierra Leone?

Not always. We explain which documents need certifying abroad and how to send them, and we keep you updated throughout.

How should I send money to my business?

Through a bank or licensed money transfer operator, into the business’s own bank account, with a reference such as “share capital” or “shareholder loan”.

Can I take profits back to the UK?

Investors have a right under the NIB Act 2022 to transfer net profits and loan repayments through official channels. Withholding tax of 20% applies to dividends paid to non-residents.