Trade and Investment

The Trade and Investment Office at the Embassy facilitates investment to Liberia, provides general information on investment and business climate. It organizes trade missions, and investment-related activities for companies wanting to invest in Liberia.

Economy

Liberia’s economy is full of opportunities for investors and businesses. The Government of Liberia (GOL) continues to prioritize foreign direct investment (FDI) to realize its economic development goals. The government's pro-poor policy agenda seeks to stimulate broad-based economic growth, and recognizes the crucial role foreign investment and trading activities play in economic growth, job and wealth creation. The government strongly emphasizes the creation of a business-friendly environment and the promotion of partnerships between domestic and foreign entrepreneurs. Liberia is rich in natural resources with relatively large deposits of iron ore, diamonds and gold - and the suitability of the country’s soil to the production of key commercial crops, such as palm oil, cocoa, coffee and rubber. The major exports from Liberia are: iron ore, logs, scrap metal, rubber, cocoa beans, coffee beans, camwood, palm oil, and wood chips.

Why Invest in Liberia?

• Access to regional markets: Liberia has access to over 335 million consumers through ECOWAS. As founding member of the Mano River Union and ECOWAS, Liberia is better positioned with access to these markets.
• Low cost of labor: With a very youthful population, Liberia’s cost of labor is set at US$5.00-6.00 per day.
• Minimum restriction on the repatriation of profits and no currency exchange restrictions: Section 11 of the Investment Act of 2010 strengthens investment protection by ensuring the ability of investors to repatriate capital and profits. These may include profits and dividends (net of taxes), remittance of moneys (net of taxes) in the event of the sale or liquidation of the business, repayments of loans acquired from foreign banks, etc.
• Political stability: Liberia has been politically stable for the past 14 years; holding two free, fair and transparent elections.
• Tax regime: The Revenue Code outlines clear tax regulations and tax exemptions for investors in target sectors.
• Competitive incentive packages: Liberia offers a comprehensive set of incentives for the following priority sectors:
  Agricultural, Tourism, Manufacturing, Energy, Hospitals and medical, Housing, Transportation, Information, Poultry, Horticulture, and Exportation.
• International markets: Liberia receives preferential treatment under the EU. The EBA grants duty-free, and in most cases quota-free, access to the EU market. Liberia receives preferential treatment under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, which offers the most preferential access to the U.S. market available outside the free trade agreements. Liberia also has a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the United States. The country also has access to the Asian and African (outside ECOWAS) markets.
• Guarantee against unfair expropriation: In Section 7 of the Investment Act of 2010.
  Prohibition against discrimination: Subject to the Labor Law and Laws governing immigration, foreign investors, employers and workers enjoy the same rights and are subjected to the same duties and obligations as are applicable to citizens of Liberia.
  First nation in Africa to completely stop cutting down its trees and promote deforestation.
• Large untapped natural resources base: Liberia is endowed with several rich bodies of minerals and other raw materials, including gold, diamonds, iron ore, bauxite, rubber, timber and much more. (see http://www.investliberia.gov.lr)

Registering a Business in Liberia

The Liberia Business Registry is responsible for enterprise formalization and facilitates enterprise growth through improved access to information and finance for companies desiring to engage in commercial and /or industrial activity in Liberia.

The Liberian Business Registry offers the following registration services: Limited Liability, Business corporation, Foreign corporation, Foreign maritime entity, Sole proprietorship, Partnership, Limited partnership, Branch/subsidiary, Not for profit corporation, Trust, Foundation, and Name Reservation.

Resources to get started on Doing Business In Liberia

Liberian Business Registry
National Investment Commission
Liberia Chamber of Commerce
Liberian Business Association of the Americas (LIBA)
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning Economic Cooperation
Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Ministry of Agriculture