Gov’t, Partners Drive SME Growth with New Supplier Plan

By Stephen G. Fellajuah

Monrovia, Liberia, May 29, 2026 – The Governance Commission (GC), in collaboration with the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), the National Investment Commission (NIC), and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), with support from the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC) and the World Bank (WB), has concluded a one-day Local Content Policy Validation Workshop and presentation on the Supplier Development Portal for Local Content Development.

The event was held at the Mamba Point Hotel in Monrovia on May 28, 2026, bringing together the diplomatic community, development partners, representatives of the private sector and business community, civil society actors, and members of the media

Delivering the opening remarks, the Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, Alaric K. Tokpa, described the engagement as a defining moment in Liberia’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive, and economically resilient nation. He noted that the initiative challenges Liberians to rethink how investments, concession operations, and economic growth can provide direct and sustainable benefits to Liberian businesses, workers, and communities.

According to him, many local businesses continue to face barriers such as limited access to finance, constraints in technical capacity, challenges with standards compliance, information gaps, and weak integration into supply chains.

He explained that, against this backdrop, the Draft Local Content Policy has emerged as a strategic national instrument aimed at expanding the participation of Liberians and Liberian enterprises in the economy.

The policy seeks to establish a framework that encourages local procurement, strengthens domestic industries, facilitates skills transfer, promotes technology diffusion, and empowers Liberians to move from the margins to the center of economic participation.

Tokpa further highlighted the significance of the Supplier Development Portal, describing it as an innovative digital platform that connects Liberian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with concessionaires, investors, and procurement opportunities across multiple sectors.

He said the platform will strengthen business linkages, improve transparency in procurement processes, provide supplier training opportunities, and equip local enterprises with the tools and information necessary to become competitive and “tender-ready.”

The initiative, he added, aligns with the broader objectives of the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P), a transformative national program supported by the World Bank and implemented through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The project aims to stimulate economic growth, improve the investment climate, and strengthen the participation of Liberian businesses in the national economy.

Representing the Minister of State Without Portfolio and Chairperson of the Supplier Development Program, Mamaka Bility, an official disclosed that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has emphasized that the government’s priority for 2026 and beyond is to create employment opportunities for Liberians through the Supplier Development Program by linking domestic businesses with multinational companies and concessionaires operating in the country.

Speaking during the workshop, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Concessions and Investment, Senator Numene T. H. Bartekwa, described the Local Content Policy as essential to Liberia’s economic growth and development.

He proposed that, beyond the policy framework, the Government of Liberia should enact legislation requiring concession companies to prioritize the production and utilization of local content after a specific period of operation.

Also making remarks, Liberia Chamber of Commerce Executive Council member Laureine Guilao stated that a successful local content framework cannot operate in isolation.

She stressed that it must be supported by practical systems that help Liberian businesses become competitive, visible, financeable, and capable of meeting the standards required by concessionaires, multinational corporations, and large buyers.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Director for Domestic Trade Richard J. Pratt said the Ministry considers the final validation exercise a breakthrough for the long-awaited document, which will open a new chapter for Liberian SMEs.

Pratt emphasized that the Ministry strongly believes Liberia can attain middle-income status only when Liberian-owned businesses are empowered to lead the economy, warning that anything short of this vision would render such aspirations unattainable.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Concessions stressed that the policy must ensure local content moves beyond policy discussions into measurable national impact. According to the NBC, local content is intended to ensure that investments create real opportunities for Liberians through jobs, business growth, skills development, and economic empowerment.