The launch event in Freetown, co-hosted with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, reflected both policy ambition and creative energy. Performances, showcases, and networking sessions underscored the sector's vibrancy while high-level panels and a keynote by the Hon. Minister of Tourism reinforced its place in the national growth agenda.

The diagnostic shows that Sierra Leone's creative economy is already a significant yet underused engine of diversification, youth employment, and cultural expression. Contributing an estimated 4.5 percent of GDP and more than 10 percent of formal jobs, the sector has strongholds in audiovisual media, music, performing arts, and crafts. Yet its growth is constrained by limited access to finance, weak infrastructure, fragmented governance, and persistent data gaps.

Drawing on surveys, fieldwork, and international benchmarking, the report proposes phased reforms to strengthen policy coordination, improve intellectual property protections, expand digital monetization, build creative infrastructure, and broaden access to finance. A detailed value chain analysis of the music industry highlights opportunities to formalize enterprises, attract private investment, and build a resilient, inclusive ecosystem.