Sama Kai Holds First Solo Print Exhibition in Freetown

Sierra Leonean London-based photographer and visual storyteller Sama Kai held his first-ever solo print exhibition in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, showcasing some of the best-storied images he has captured in Freetown.

Kai exhibited some of his most beautiful, captivating, and intriguing images he captured in Sierra Leone, which tells the Sierra Leonean story through his lens.

The photos showcase the true Sierra Leonean identity, its unique culture and lifestyle, its distinct and colourful fashion style, and its diversity and resilience.

Held at Purposeful, it drew a wide range of guests from the creative, business, and political sectors.

Among those in attendance were Sierra Leonean musician Drizilik, Managing Director of Mercury International and CEO Martin Edmond Michael, and government minister Chernoh Bah.

First Solo Exhibition Held in Birthplace

Image: Sama Kai and a buyer of one of his images at his exhibition

Speaking during the event, Kai described the exhibition as his first solo print showcase anywhere in the world, despite previously participating in several global exhibitions.

Kai said he had previously participated in exhibitions with Google, Netflix, AFCON and the British Library, among others.

However, he said it was important for his first solo print exhibition to happen in the country where he was born.

“This is my first solo exhibition, and I wanted it to be in Sierra Leone because it’s the land of my birth, and it’s going to be the land of the birth of my first solo exhibition of photography.”

Using Photography to Change Narratives

Image: Two female guests staring at one of the images on display

Kai’s photography journey began in 2018, fifteen years after he relocated to the United Kingdom in 2003, following the end of the civil war.

His photography journey started with curiosity. As someone who had left a place he called home for better opportunities, Kai’s curiosity to explore the UK and visit places he had never been to before led him into photography, where he later started taking photos of such places.

With 8 years of being a professional photographer, Kai emphasised that photography remains one of the most powerful tools for storytelling and social change, saying that images can transform how people and places are perceived.

“Photography gives meaning to something that’s meaningless or something that has been tarnished by the way it has been labelled,” said Kai.

Kai believes that with photography, it’s possible to change the distorting image of Sierra Leone and that “A lens can literally change the story.”

“As a Sierra Leonean, I thought it was imperative that people get an authentic version of Sierra Leone, an authentic view of Sierra Leone,” he said.

He said many outside photographers tend to focus only on painful or difficult stories about Sierra Leone because those narratives attract attention, but that approach has failed to present the full reality of the country.

He encourages young people who are into photography in Sierra Leone to continue telling stories that matter with their lenses.

He stressed that Sierra Leoneans must also play a role in reshaping how they see themselves by embracing positive and authentic imagery of their communities and national identity.

“When you search the internet, there are so many negative images,” he said. “A lot of photo documentary photographers only focus on the negative. They only focus on the bad parts.”

Who is Sama Kai

Image: Sama Kai at his first-ever solo print exhibition

Born in Freetown, Sama Kai is a London-based Sierra Leonean photographer and visual storyteller known for his intimate, documentary-style imagery, which focuses on culture, lifestyle, identity, and black excellence.

He is widely known for documenting the Black Lives Matter movement in London, the Notting Hill Carnival, and capturing daily life in his birthplace of Sierra Leone.

Kai has photographed prominent figures in the entertainment world and has worked with a number of top global brands and companies.

He has photographed megastars like Rihanna, Drake, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Idris Elba, and Naomi Campbell.

Kai has also worked with brands such as Nike, Adidas, Google, Netflix, Labrum and Arsenal.

In the 2024/2025 English Premier League season, he photographed Arsenal’s away jersey designed by his fellow countryman, Foday Dumbuya of Labrum London.

His works have been featured in major publications such as Vogue, BBC, and Vanity Fair, with his work displayed in exhibitions with Google Arts & Culture, including a spotlight in Misan Harriman’s “Black Lenses Matter”.

First of Many

Image: Managing Director and CEO of Mercury International, Martin Edmond Michael, at the exhibition

At the closure of the exhibition, Kai hinted that the Freetown event would be the first of many future solo exhibitions. He told guests that the Freetown exhibition is only the beginning of a wider journey.

“This will be the first of many. There’s a reason why when I sent out the invitation, I said the first solo exhibition.”