H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS
Born on 12th May 1964 in Tihun, Sogbini Chiefdom, Bonthe District, H.E Julius Maada Bio is the 5th President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. In June 2023, he was re-elected for his second term after securing victory with more than 56% of the votes. Under his leadership, Sierra Leone has made remarkable progress. He has expanded access to education for more than one million new learners through Free Quality School Education Programme; enhanced energy accessibility; improved access to healthcare, increased access to water supply and made significant gains in the control of corruption. For his second term, H.E Julius Maada Bio has prioritised food security as his flagship programme in Sierra Leone.
H.E Julius Maada Bio has ushered in significant governance reforms within Sierra Leone. He repealed a 55-year-old seditious libel law, abolished the death penalty; enacted the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Act that guarantees 30% representation of women in governance; and enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act that criminalizes marriage of anyone under the age of 18.
At the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held on 22nd June 2025, H.E Julius Maada Bio was elected as Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government for a period of one year. As Chairman, he has prioritized four key areas: Restoring Constitutional Order and Deepening Democracy; Revitalizing Regional Security Cooperation; Unlocking Economic Integration; and Building Institutional Credibility.
Prior to his election as Chairman, H.E Julius Maada Bio exhibited commendable global leadership. In 2022, he co-chaired the Transforming Education Summit alongside the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. He served a two-year tenure (2022-2024) as Chairperson of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government. Under his leadership, Sierra Leone was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the term 2024 -2025 securing the votes of 188 out of 192 Member States. In August 2024, H.E Julius Maada Bio presided over the United Nations Security Council and spearheaded a historic debate on the reform of the Security Council.
H.E Julius Maada Bio is the current Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government for the Reform of the United Nations Security Council. Under his guidance, Sierra Leone is an elected member of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) for the 2024-2026 term and the United Nations Economic and Social Council for the 2026-2028 term.
H.E Julius Maada Bio has received numerous accolades for his exceptional leadership on both national and international stages. In 2022, he was named “African of the Year” at the 11th African Leadership Persons of the Year event. In 2023, he was celebrated as “African President of the Year” during the 8th Annual London Political Summit and Awards. In 2024, the United States Foreign Policy Association awarded H.E Julius Maada Bio its prestigious Foreign Policy Association Medal at the World Leadership Forum Dinner. In February 2025, he was honoured with two prestigious African continental awards: The African HeForShe Champion of the Year, 2024 and Presidential African Intelligence Award, 2024.
H.E Julius Maada Bio is married to First Lady Fatima Maada Bio who is the current President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD).
