IPAM Launches 2025 Entrepreneurship Week to Champion Innovation and Sustainability

The Centre of Excellence, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (CEEI) at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) officially launched IPAM Entrepreneurship Week on May 20th 2025, a week-long celebration of creativity, innovation, and sustainability—at the IPAM Campus, Tower Hill.

This year’s event is being held under the theme “Building Ideas for a Sustainable Future,” reflecting a renewed focus on encouraging students to develop business solutions that are not only innovative but also environmentally and socially responsible.

The Entrepreneurship Week aims to highlight the entrepreneurial talents of IPAM students and showcase the ventures they’ve developed. The week features an exciting series of activities including class tours, masterclasses, panel discussions featuring both seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs, pitch night competitions, and a grand exhibition show. The exhibition is open not only to IPAM students, but also to alumni and external innovators with compelling ideas.

Joyce Abigail Coulson-Olowu, Coordinator Ipam CEEI

Empowering Students to Solve Real-world Problems

The opening ceremony drew key stakeholders from academia, business, and government.

A major highlight was the launch of the CEEI Accelerator Program, a seed-funding initiative backed by JIT Capital in partnership with CEEI. This program provides students who have been incubated at the Centre with low-interest loans to help take their businesses to the next level.

According to the CEEI Coordinator, Joyce Abigail Coulson-Olowu, “This initiative will support our students to scale their businesses and accelerate their ideas. This week is important because it will inspire future entrepreneurs to see what others have done and begin thinking about how they too can solve real-world problems affecting us in Sierra Leone.”

Cross section of attendees at the Ipam Entrepreneurship Week opening ceremony

She further stressed that entrepreneurship should be seen as a career path and called on government institutions and development partners to support the Centre’s work, which extends beyond students to include community initiatives like the Market Women Program and Youth Training Programs.

Since its launch in November 2024, the Centre has made tremendous strides. Over NLe 180,000 has been awarded in cash prizes to support student-led ventures in sectors like fashion, IT, food, and the circular economy. Over 40 market women have received training through the Business Clinic, and 278 youths recently completed a one-month skills development program.

Ongoing programs include, Second Cohort Skills Training Program, Digital Marketing Masterclass with Vickie Remoe, Incubation Program with 6 active ventures and Business Clinic for informal sector women, set to resume next month

Sallay Kallon, one of the participants of the CEEI Incubator program Shared her experiences

“The CEEI Incubator Program transformed my mindset and my business. Winning NLe 30,000 in the pitch competition gave me the confidence and capital I needed to expand my product line and scale.”

Sallay Sankoh, a student entrepreneur

As IPAM Entrepreneurship Week 2025 unfolds, it stands as a rallying call for young people across Sierra Leone to think boldly, build sustainably, and shape a future where innovation drives lasting impact.