Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone is mourning the loss of James Sanpha Koroma, economist, banker, and statesman, who passed away yesterday at Choithram’s Hospital in Freetown. He was 79 years old.
Born on March 15, 1946, in Yonibana, Tonkolili District, Mr. Koroma became one of the country’s most influential post-independence figures, known for his trademark bow tie and his role in shaping Sierra Leone’s financial and educational institutions.
A graduate of Fourah Bay College, he went on to earn advanced degrees from Syracuse University in the United States and the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. He later received an honorary Doctor of Civil Laws (DCL) and was decorated with national honors, including Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR) in 2007.
Mr. Koroma began his career as a lecturer at Fourah Bay College before entering public service as Deputy Financial Secretary and later Managing Director of the National Development Bank. From 1998 to 2003, he served as Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, navigating the post-war economy under President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
In 1995, he founded Union Trust Bank (UTB), Sierra Leone’s first indigenous commercial bank, which he led until his passing. Under his stewardship, UTB championed youth employment, microfinance, digital banking, and financial inclusion, forging international partnerships that strengthened Sierra Leone’s economic recovery.
Beyond banking, Mr. Koroma contributed significantly to education as the first Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone and through the establishment of the James Sanpha Koroma School of Business and Entrepreneurial Studies at the United Methodist University.
A keen golfer and community leader, he also served as chairman of the historic Hill Station Club, where a theater was named in his honor in 2021.
Mr. Koroma is survived by his wife, family, and many mentees across Sierra Leone’s public and private sectors.
Rest in peace, Mr. James Sanpha Koroma – your bow tie may fade, but your legacy endures.
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