Siaka Stevens on Building Sherbro Island City

In Episode 74 of the Charter Cities Podcast, host Mark Lutter speaks with Siaka Stevens, co-founder of Sherbro Alliance Partners and the visionary behind Sherbro Island City in Sierra Leone. With the recent ratification of their agreement with the government, Sherbro Island now has special administrative status and strong legal protections—opening the door to serious investor interest. Siaka discusses next steps, including a phased development approach beginning in Bonthe Town, exploring sectors like tourism, carbon credits, aquaculture, and e-governance. He highlights the importance of governance as the “operating system” of the city and shares how the New Cities Summit helped him realize that a global movement for new city development is gaining momentum. Siaka closes with his vision of success: a city designed for people, where the spiritual vitality of everyday life is just as important as economic metrics.