Sierra Leone and Kenya Partner with The Akuna Group to Boost Creative Economy

Sierra Leone and Kenya have signed Statements of Intent with The Akuna Group, becoming founding champions of the Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership. This voluntary initiative aims to connect talent with skills, investment, enterprise, and markets across the Commonwealth and beyond. The signing ceremony took place during the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the presence of Sierra Leone's President Dr Julius Maada Bio and other dignitaries.

The Akuna Group, led by Sir Idris Elba, has been working to harness the power of creativity to connect people across cultures and histories. In his opening remarks, Sir Idris emphasized the importance of turning these connections into opportunities for young people to make a living from their talent. The partnership with Sierra Leone and Kenya aligns with the group's mission to provide a platform for creative enterprises to access markets and skills.

For Sierra Leone, the agreement supports President Bio's human capital agenda, which focuses on investing in young people. Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh stated that the country's young people are not a problem to be managed but a resource to invest in. In Kenya, the collaboration complements the Talanta Hela initiative, which aims to provide youth creative enterprises with a route to market.

The Akuna Group has been working on various initiatives to connect skills to production and earnings. One such project, "From Script to Screen with AI," developed in partnership with Google, Curious Refuge, and supported by a US$1 million Google.org grant, will train emerging filmmakers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.

In Ghana, Akuna Wallet Ltd's admission to the Bank of Ghana's one-year regulatory sandbox in January 2026 provides a supervised setting to explore financial innovation relevant to cross-border earnings. Ghana's Minister, Hon. Joycelyn Tetteh, welcomed the partnership, highlighting the opportunities it opens for young Ghanaian creatives.

Sir Idris Elba also met with Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to explore a Barbados-led initiative connecting African and Caribbean talent through cultural exchange and new audiences. Additionally, he discussed vocational pathways with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, focusing on linking hands-on training and industry experience to employment and enterprise.

The agreements and meetings establish a practical direction for stronger connections between skills, markets, and livelihoods, shaped by participating countries' priorities and laws. The Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership aims to drive economic growth and opportunities for young people across the Commonwealth.

Key points

• The partnership aims to connect talent with skills, investment, enterprise, and markets across the Commonwealth and beyond.
• The agreement supports Sierra Leone's human capital agenda and Kenya's Talanta Hela initiative.
• The Akuna Group's initiatives focus on connecting skills to production and earnings, with projects in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.